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CAPTURED    BY    ALBANIAN    BRIGANDS 


UNIVERSITY  OF  N.C.  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


00022245508 


IN    GREEK    WATERS 

A   STORY    OF 
THE    GRECIAN   WAR   OF    INDEPENDENCE 

(1821-1827) 


G.    A.    HENTY 

Author  of"  Beric  the  Briton,"  "  Condemned  as  a  Nihilist,"  etc. 


WITH   TWELVE  ILLUSTRATIONS  BY   W.    S.    STACEY,   AND 
A    MAP  OF  THE   GRECIAN  ARCHIPELAGO 


NEW  YORK 

CHARLES    SCRIBNER'S    SONS 

1902 


COPYRIGHT,   1892,   BY 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS. 


THE  CAXTON  PRESS 
NEW  YORK. 


PREFACE 


My  dear  Lads, 

The  struggle  known  as  the  Greek  War  of  Independence 
lasted  for  six  years  (1821-27),  and  had  I  attempted  to  give 
even  an  outline  of  the  events  this  would  have  been  a  history 
and  not  a  story.  Moreover,  six  years  is  altogether  beyond  the 
length  of  time  that  can  be  included  in  a  book  for  boys.  For 
these  reasons  I  have  confined  the  story  to  the  principal  inci- 
dents of  the  first  two  years  of  the  war ;  those  of  my  readers 
who  may  wish  to  learn  the  whole  history  of  the  struggle  I  refer 
to  Finlay's  well-known  Hisfo?y  of  Greece,  which  I  have  followed 
closely  in  my  narration. 

As  a  rule  in  the  stories  of  wars,  especially  of  wars  waged 
for  national  independence,  the  dark  side  of  the  struggle  is 
brightened  by  examples  of  patriotism  and  devotion,  of  heroic 
bravery,  of  humanity  to  the  wounded,  of  disinterestedness  and 
self-sacrifice.  The  war  of  Greek  independence  is  an  exception. 
The  story  is  a  dark  one  with  scarcely  a  gleam  of  light.  Never 
during  modern  times  has  a  struggle  been  disgraced  by  such 
deeds  of  cruelty  and  massacre  as  those  which  prevailed  on  both 
sides.  Such  being  the  case,  I  have  devoted  less  space  than 
usual  to  the  historical  portion  of  my  tale,  and  this  plays  but  a 
subordinate  part  in  the  adventures  of  the  Misericordia  and  her 
crew. 

Yours  sincerely, 

G.   A.    HENTY. 


696732 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hil 


http://www.archive.org/details/ingreekwatersstoOhenty 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  A  Greek  Student .  n 

II.  A  Yacht ,,....     =     .  29 

III.  The  Wreck 47 

IV.  A  Startling  Proposal     .........  66 

V.  Fitting  Out 85 

VI.  Under  Weigh 107 

VII.  A  Change  of  Name 127 

VIII.  A  Besieged  Village 145 

IX.  Rescued       .  162 

X.  A  Daring  Exploit 1S0 

XI.  In  the  Hands  of  the  Turks 197 

XII.  Planning  a  Rescue 213 

XIII.  The  Pasha  of  Adalia .  225 

XIV.  Chios 243 

XV.  A  White  Scjlall 259 

XVI.  Fire-Ships , 277 


CONTEXTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XVII.    Rescuing  the  Garrison  of  Athens       ....  295 

XVIII.     A  Turkish  Defeat 312 

XIX.     Prisoners 330 

XX.     At  Constantinople 348 

XXI.    The  ••  Misericordia"  Again 365 

XXII.     All  Ends  Well 385 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 

Captured  by  Albanian  Brigands Frontispiece 

"Well,  youngster,  what  is  it?" 20 

Horace  suggests  a  Rescue 52 

Their  First  Sight  of  the  Schooner 82 

A  Discussion  about  Clothes no 

"give  them  a  round."  said  captain  martyn  .     .     .     .  1-j.s 

The  Captain  is  Wounded 177 

The  Greek  Captiyes  are  brought  on  Deck     .     .     .     .  19S 

The  Capture  of  the  Pasha 228 

Repelling  the  Turkish  Boarders 279 

The  Goyernor  comes  on  Board 306 

The  Doctor  tells  the  Story 379 

Map  of  Grecian  Archipelago 10 


IN  GREEK  WATERS 


CHAPTER  I 


A    GREEK    STUDENT 


|]iiE  people  of  the  little  fishing  village  of  Seaport 
were  agreed  on  one  subject,  however  much  they 
might  differ  on  others,  namely,  that  Mr.  Bever- 
idge  was  "a  wonderful  learned  man."  In  this 
respect  they  were  proud  of  him :  learned  men 
came  to  visit  him,  and  his  name  was  widely  known  as  the 
author  of  various  treatises  and  books  which  were  precious  to 
deep  scholars,  and  were  held  in  high  respect  at  the  universi- 
ties. Most  of  the  villagers  were,  however,  of  opinion  that  it 
would  have  been  better  for  Seaport  had  Mr.  Beveridge  been  a 
trifle  less  learned  and  a  good  deal  more  practical.  Naturally 
he  would  have  been  spoken  of  as  the  squire,  for  he  was  the 
owner  of  the  whole  parish,  and  his  house  was  one  of  the  finest 
in  the  county,  which  some  of  his  ancestors  had  represented  in 
parliament;  but  for  all  that  it  would  have  been  ridiculous  to 
call  a  man  squire  who  had  never  been  seen  on  horseback,  and 
who,  as  was  popularly  believed,  could  not  distinguish  a  field 
of  potatoes  from  one  of  turnips. 

It  was  very  seldom  that  Mr.  Beveridge  ventured  outside  the 
boundary-wall  of  his  grounds,  except,  indeed,  when  he  posted 
up  to  London  to  investigate  some  rare  manuscript,  or  to  pore 

11 


12  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

over  ancient  books  in  the  reading-room  of  the  British  Museum. 
He  was  never  seen  at  the  meetings  of  magistrates,  or  at  social 
gatherings  of  any  kind,  and  when  his  name  was  mentioned  at 
these  many  shrugged  their  shoulders  and  said  what  a  pity  it  was 
that  one  of  the  finest  properties  in  the  county  should  be  in 
the  hands  of  a  man  who  was,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  a  little 
cracked. 

Mr.  Beveridge's  father,  when  on  a  tour  in  the  East  as  a 
young  man,  had  fallen  in  love  with  and,  to  the  intense  indig- 
nation of  his  family,  married  a  Greek  lady.  Upon  coming 
into  possession  of  the  property,  two  years  later,  John  Bever- 
idge  settled  down  with  his  beautiful  wife  at  the  Hall,  and  lived 
in  perfect  happiness  with  her  until  her  death. 

She  had  had  but  one  child,  a  boy,  the  present  owner  of  the 
Hall,  who  was  twelve  years  old  when  she  died.  Happy  as  she 
was  with  her  husband,  Mrs.  Beveridge  had  never  ceased  to 
regret  the  sunny  skies  of  her  native  land.  She  seldom  spoke 
of  it  to  her  husband,  who  hunted  and  shot,  was  a  regular  atten- 
dant at  the  board  of  magistrates,  and  attended  personally  to 
the  management  of  his  estate.  He  was  a  man  of  little  senti- 
ment, and  had  but  a  poor  opinion  of  the  Greeks  in  general. 
But  to  Herbert  she  often  talked  of  the  days  of  her  childhood, 
and  imbued  him  with  her  own  passionate  love  of  her  native 
country.  This  led  'him  at  school  to  devote  himself  to  the 
study  of  Greek  with  such  energy  and  ardour  that  he  came  to 
be  considered  as  a  prodigy,  and  going  up  to  Oxford  he  neg- 
lected all  other  branches  of  study,  mixed  but  little  with  other 
undergraduates,  made  no  friends,  but  lived  the  life  of  a  recluse, 
and  was  rewarded  by  being  the  only  first-class  man  of  his  year, 
the  examiners  declaring  that  no  such  papers  had  ever  before 
been  sent  in. 

Unfortunately  for  Herbert  his  father  died  a  few  months 
before  he  took  his  degree.  He  had  neither  understood  nor 
appreciated  his  son's  devotion  to  study,  and  when  others  con- 
gratulated him  upon  the  reputation  he  was  already  gaining  at 
the  university,  he  used  to  shrug  his  shoulders  and  say,  "  What 


A    GREEK    STUDENT  13 

is  the  good  of  it?  He  has  not  got  to  work  for  his  living.  I 
would  rather  see  him  back  a  horse  over  a  five-barred  gate  than 
write  Greek  like  Homer."  He  had  frequently  declared  that 
directly  Herbert  took  his  degree  he  would  go  with  him  first 
for  a  few  months  up  to  London,  and  they  would  then  travel 
together  for  a  year  or  two  so  as  to  make  him,  as  he  said,  a  bit 
like  other  people. 

Left  to  his  own  devices  at  the  death  of  his  father  Herbert 
Beveridge  did  not  even  go  home  after  taking  his  degree,  but, 
writing  to  the  steward  to  shut  up  the  house,  started  a  week 
later  for  Greece,  where  he  remained  for  three  years,  by  the 
end  of  which  time  he  was  as  perfectly  acquainted  with  modern 
as  with  ancient  Greek.  Then  he  returned  home,  bringing 
with  him  two  Greek  attendants,  turned  the  drawing-room  into 
a  library,  and  devoted  himself  to  his  favourite  study.  Three 
years  later  he  married,  or  rather  his  aunt,  Mrs.  Fordyce,  mar- 
ried him.  That  lady,  who  was  the  wife  of  a  neighbouring 
squire,  came  over  and,  as  she  said,  took  him  in  hand. 

"This  cannot  go  on,  Herbert,"  she  said;  "  it  is  plainly  your 
duty  to  marry." 

"I  have  never  thought  of  marrying,  aunt." 

"I  daresay  not,  Herbert,  but  that  is  no  reason  why  you 
shouldn't  marry.  You  don't  intend,  I  suppose,  that  this  place, 
after  being  in  the  hands  of  our  family  for  hundreds  of  years, 
is  to  be  sold  to  strangers  at  your  death.  It  is  clearly  your 
duty  to  marry  and  have  children." 

"But  I  don't  know  anyone  to  marry." 

"  I  will  find  you  a  wife,  Herbert.  I  know  half  a  dozen  nice 
girls,  any  one  of  whom  would  suit  you.  You  want  a  thoroughly 
good,  sensible  wife,  and  then,  perhaps,  there  would  be  some 
chance  of  your  becoming  like  other  people." 

"I  don't  want  to  become  like  other  people,  I  only  want  to 
be  let  alone." 

"  Well,  you  see  that  is  out  of  the  question,  Herbert.  You 
shirk  all  your  duties  as  a  large  land-owner;  but  this  duty,  at 
least,  you  cannot  shirk.     Let  me  see,  to-day  is  Monday;  on 


14  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

Wednesday  our  gig  shall  be  over  here  at  half-past  twelve,  and 
you  shall  come  over  and  lunch  with  me.  I  will  have  Miss 
Hendon  there;  she  is  in  all  respects  suitable  for  you.  She  is 
fairly  pretty,  and  very  bright  and  domesticated,  with  plenty  of 
common  sense.  She  won't  have  any  money;  for  although  her 
father's  estate  is  a  nice  one,  she  has  four  or  five  brothers,  and 
I  don't  suppose  Mr.  Hendon  lays  by  a  penny  of  his  income. 
However,  that  matters  very  little.  Now  you  must  rouse  your- 
self for  a  bit.  This  is  an  important  business,  you  know,  and 
has  to  be  done.  After  it  is  over  you  will  find  it  a  great  com- 
fort, and  your  wife  will  take  all  sorts  of  little  worries  off  your 
hand.  Of  course  if  you  don't  like  Mary  Hendon  when  you 
see  her,  I  will  find  somebody  else." 

Herbert  Beveridge  resigned  himself  quietly,  and  became 
almost  passive  in  this  matter  of  his  own  marriage.  He  liked 
Mary  Hendon  when  he  had  got  over  the  shyness  and  discom- 
fort of  the  first  visit,  and  three  months  later  they  were  married. 
He  then  went  back  to  his  library  again,  and  his  wife  took  the 
management  of  the  estate  and  house  into  her  capable  hands. 
During  her  lifetime  Herbert  Beveridge  emerged  to  a  certain 
extent  from  his  shell.  He  became  really  fond  of  her,  and 
occasionally  accompanied  her  on  her  drives,  went  sometimes 
into  society,  and  was  generally  considered  to  be  improving 
fast. 

Ten  years  after  marriage  she  died,  and  her  husband  fell 
back  into  his  old  ways.  His  life,  however,  was  no  longer 
quite  solitary,  for  she  had  left  him  a  boy  eight  years  of  age. 
He  had  been  christened  Horace,  which  was  a  sort  of  com- 
promise. Mr.  Beveridge  had  wished  that  he  should  have  the 
name  of  some  Greek  worthy — his  favourites  being  either 
Themistocles  or  Aristides.  His  mother  had  called  in  Mrs. 
Fordyce  to  her  assistance,  and  the  two  ladies  together  had 
succeeded  in  carrying  their  point.  Mrs.  Fordyce  had  urged 
that  it  would  be  a  misfortune  for  the  boy  to  bear  either  of 
these  names. 

"He  will  have  to  go  to  school,  Herbert,  of  course,  and  the 


A    GREEK    STUDENT  15 

boys  would  make  his  life  a  burden  to  him  if  he  had  either  of 
the  names  you  mention.  I  know  what  boys  are;  we  have 
plenty  of  them  in  our  family.  If  he  were  Aristides  he  would 
get  the  nickname  of  Tidy,  which  would  be  hideous.  The 
other  name  is  worse  still j  they  would  probably  shorten  it  into 
Cockles,  and  I  am  sure  you  would  not  want  the  boy  to  be 
spoken  of  as  Cockles  Beveridge." 

"I  hate  common  names,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said,  "such  as 
Jack,  Bob,  and  Bill." 

"Well,  I  think  they  are  quite  good  enough  for  ordinary 
life,  Herbert,  but  if  you  must  have  something  classical  why 
not  take  the  name  of  Horace?  One  of  Mary's  brothers  is 
Horace,  you  know,  and  he  would  no  doubt  take  it  as  a  com- 
pliment if  you  gave  the  boy  that  name." 

And  so  it  was  fixed  for  Horace.  As  soon  as  the  child  was 
old  enough  to  go  out  without  a  nurse,  Mr.  Beveridge  appointed 
one  of  his  Greek  servants  to  accompany  him,  in  order  that  the 
child  should  pick  up  a  knowledge  of  Greek;  while  he  himself 
interested  himself  so  far  in  him  as  to  set  aside  his  books  and 
have  him  into  the  library  for  an  hour  a  day,  when  he  always 
talked  to  him  in  Greek.  Thus  at  his  mother's  death  the  boy 
was  able  to  talk  the  language  as  fluently  as  English.  In  other 
respects  he  showed  no  signs  whatever  of  taking  after  his 
father's  tastes.  He  was  a  sturdy  boy,  and  evinced  even 
greater  antipathy  than  usual  to  learning  the  alphabet,  and  was 
never  so  happy  as  when  he  could  persuade  Marco  to  take  him 
down  to  the  beach  to  play  with  the  fisher  children.  At  his 
mother's  death  he  was  carried  off  by  Mrs.  Fordyce,  and  spent 
the  next  six  months  with  her  and  in  the  houses  of  his  mother's 
brothers,  where  there  were  children  about  his  own  age.  At 
the  end  of  that  time  a  sort  of  family  council  was  held,  and 
Mrs.  Fordyce  went  over  to  Seaport  to  see  her  nephew. 

"  What  were  you  thinking  about  doing  with  the  boy,  Her- 
bert?" 

"The  boy?  "  he  asked  vaguely,  being  engaged  on  a  paper 
throwing  new  light  on  the  Greek  particles  when  she  entered. 


16  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

"Naturally,  Herbert,  the  boy,  your  boy;  it  is  high  time  he 
went  to  school." 

"  I  was  thinking  the  other  day  about  getting  a  tutor  for 
him." 

"Getting  fiddlesticks!"  Mrs.  Fordyce  said  sharply;  "the 
boy  wants  companionship.  What  do  you  suppose  he  would 
become,  moping  about  this  big  house  alone  ?  He  wants  to 
play,  if  he  is  ever  to  grow  up  an  active  healthy  man.  No 
harm  has  been  done  yet,  for  dear  Mary  kept  the  house  bright, 
and  had  the  sense  to  let  him  pass  most  of  his  time  in  the  open 
air,  and  not  to  want  him  always  at  her  apron-string.  If  when 
he  gets  to  the  age  of  twenty  he  develops  a  taste  for  Greek — 
which  Heaven  forbid ! — or  for  Chinese,  or  for  any  other 
heathen  and  out-of-the-way  study,  it  will  be  quite  time  enough 
for  him  to  take  it  up.  The  Beveridges  have  always  been  men 
of  action.  It  is  all  very  well,  Herbert,  to  have  one  great 
scholar  in  the  family;  we  all  admit  that  it  is  a  great  credit  to  us; 
but  two  of  them  would  ruin  it.  Happily  I  believe  there  is  no 
record  of  a  great  scholar  producing  an  equally  great  son.  At 
any  rate  I  do  hope  the  boy  will  have  a  fair  chance  of  growing 
into  an  active  energetic  man,  and  taking  his  place  in  the 
county." 

"I  have  no  wish  it  should  be  otherwise,  aunt,"  Herbert 
Beveridge  said.  "  I  quite  acknowledge  that  in  some  respects 
it  would  be  better  if  I  had  not  devoted  myself  so  entirely  to 
study,  though  my  work  has  not  been  without  fruit,  I  hope, 
for  it  is  acknowledged  that  my  book  on  the  use  of  the  di- 
gamma  threw  an  entirely  new  light  upon  the  subject.  Still  I 
cannot  expect,  nor  do  I  wish,  that  Horace  should  follow  in 
my  footsteps.  Indeed,  I  trust,  that  when  I  have  finished  my 
work,  there  will  be  little  for  a  fresh  labourer  to  glean  in 
that  direction.  At  any  rate  he  is  far  too  young  to  develop  a 
bent  in  any  direction  whatever,  and  I  think  therefore  that 
your  proposal  is  a  good  one." 

"Then  in  that  case,  Herbert,  I  think  you  cannot  do  better 
than  send  him  with  Horace  Hendon's  two  boys  to  school. 


A   GREEK    STUDENT  1< 

One  is  about  his  own  age  and  one  is  a  little  older.  The  elder 
boy  has  been  there  a  year,  and  his  father  is  well  satisfied  with 
the  school." 

"Very  well,  aunt.  If  you  will  ask  Horace  to  make  arrange- 
ments for  the  boy  to  go  with  his  sons  I  am  quite  content  it 
should  be  so." 

So  Horace  Beveridge  went,  a  week  later,  by  coach  with 
his  cousins  to  a  school  at  Exeter,  some  forty  miles  from  Sea- 
port, and  there  remained  until  he  was  fourteen.  He  passed 
his  holidays  at  home,  never  seeing  his  father  until  dinner- 
time, after  which  he  spent  two  hours  with  him,  a  period  of 
the  day  to  which  the  boy  always  looked  forward  with  some 
dread.  Sometimes  his  father  would  chat  cheerfully  to  him, 
always  in  modern  Greek-  at  others  he  would  sit  silent  and 
abstracted,  waking  up  occasionally  and  making  some  abrupt 
remark  to  the  boy,  and  then  again  lapsing  into  silence. 
When  about  the  house  and  grounds  Marco  was  his  constant 
companion.  The  Greek,  who  was  a  mere  lad  when  he  had 
come  to  England,  was  fond  of  Horace,  and  having  been  a 
fisherman  as  a  boy,  he  enjoyed  almost  as  much  as  his  charge 
did  the  boating  and  fishing  expeditions  upon  which  he  accom- 
panied him. 

At  this  time  Horace  had  a  strong  desire  to  go  to  sea,  but 
even  his  Aunt  Fordyce,  when  he  broached  the  subject  to  her, 
would  give  him  no  hope  or  encouragement. 

"  If  it  had  been  ten  years  ago,  Horace,  it  would  have  been 
another  matter.  The  sea  was  a  stirring  life,  then;  and  even 
had  you  only  gone  into  the  navy  for  a  few  years  you  would 
have  seen  lots  of  service,  and  might  have  distinguished  your- 
self. As  to  staying  in  it,  it  would  have  been  ridiculous  for 
you  as  an  only  son.  But  now  nothing  could  be  more  wretched 
than  the  position  of  a  naval  officer.  All  the  world  is  at  peace, 
and  there  does  not  appear  to  be  the  slightest  chance  of  war 
anywhere  for  many  years.  Hundreds  and  hundreds  of  ships 
have  been  paid  off  and  laid  up,  and  there  are  thousands  of 
officers  on  half-pay,  and  without  the  smallest  chance  of  ever 


18  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

getting  employment  again.  You  have  arrived  too  late  in  the 
world  for  sailoring.  Besides,  I  do  not  think  in  any  case  your 
father  would  consent  to  such  a  thing.  I  am  happy  to  say  that 
I  do  not  think  he  has  any  idea,  or  even  desire,  that  you  should 
turn  out  a  famous  scholar  as  he  is.  But  to  a  man  like  him  it 
would  seem  terrible  that  your  education  should  cease  alto- 
gether at  the  age  at  which  boys  go  into  the  navy,  and  that  you 
should  grow  up  knowing  nothing  of  what  he  considers  the 
essentials  of  a  gentleman's  education.  No,  no,  Horace,  the 
sea  is  out  of  the  question.  You  must  go  up  to  Eton,  as  ar- 
ranged, at  the  end  of  these  holidays,  and  from  Eton  you  must 
go  through  one  of  the  universities.  After  that  you  can  wander 
about  for  a  bit  and  see  the  world,  and  you  will  see  as  much  of 
it  in  six  months  that  way  as  in  twice  as  many  years  were  you 
in  the  navy  in  these  times  of  peace." 

Horace  looked  a  little  downcast. 

"There  is  another  thing,  Horace,"  his  aunt  said;  "  it  would 
not  be  fair  for  you  to  go  into  the  navy,  even  if  there  was 
nothing  else  against  it." 

"How  is  that,  aunt?" 

"Well,  Horace,  when  there  are  hundreds  of  officers  on 
half-pay,  who  can  scarcely  keep  life  together  on  the  few 
pounds  a  year  they  get,  it  would  be  hard  indeed  for  young 
fellows  with  money  and  influence  to  step  into  the  places  and 
keep  them  out." 

"Yes,  aunt,  I  did  net  think  of  that,"  Horace  said,  brighten- 
ing up.  "  It  certainly  would  be  a  beastly  shame  for  a  fellow 
who  can  do  anything  with  himself  to  take  the  place  of  a  man 
who  can  do  nothing  else." 

"Besides,  Horace,"  his  aunt  went  on,  "if  you  like  the  sea 
so  much  as  you  do  now  when  you  have  done  with  college,  there 
is  no  reason  why  you  should  not  get  your  father  to  let  you 
either  hire  or  buy  a  yacht  and  go  where  you  like  in  her,  in- 
stead of  travelling  about  by  land." 

"That  would  be  very  jolly!"  Horace  exclaimed.  "Yes, 
that  would  be  really  better  than  going  to  sea,  because  one 
could  2:0  where  one  liked." 


A    GREEK   STUDENT  19 

And  so  at  the  end  of  the  holidays  Horace  went  up  to  Eton. 
On  his  return  home  in  the  summer  his  father  said :  "Your  aunt 
was  over  here  the  other  day,  Horace,  and  she  was  telling  me 
about  that  foolish  idea  you  have  of  going  to  sea.  I  was  glad 
to  hear  that  you  gave  it  up  at  once  when  she  pointed  out  to 
you  the  absurdity  of  it.  Her  opinion  is  that  as  you  are  so 
fond  of  the  water,  and  as  Marco  can  manage  a  boat  well,  it 
would  be  a  good  thing  for  you  to  have  one  of  your  own,  in- 
stead of  going  out  always  with  the  fishermen;  the  idea  seemed 
to  me  a  good  one,  so  I  got  her  to  write  to  some  one  she  knows 
at  Exmouth,  and  he  has  spoken  to  the  revenue  officer  there. 
They  have  been  bothering  me  about  what  size  it  should  be, 
and  as  I  could  not  tell  them  whether  it  should  be  ten  feet 
long  or  fifty,  I  said  the  matter  must  remain  till  you  came  home, 
and  then  Marco  could  go  over  with  you  to  Exmouth  and  see 
the  officer." 

"  Oh,  thank  you  very  much,  father  !  " 

"  It  is  only  right  that  you  should  be  indulged  in  a  matter 
like  this,  Horace.  I  know  that  you  don't  care  about  riding 
alone,  and  I  am  sorry  I  can't  be  more  of  a  companion  to  you, 
but  I  have  always  my  hands  full  of  important  work,  and  I 
know  that  for  a  boy  of  your  age  it  must  be  very  dull  here. 
Choose  any  boat  you  like.  I  have  been  talking  to  Marco, 
and  he  says  that  she  can  be  hauled  up  on  the  beach  and  lie 
there  perfectly  safe  when  you  are  away.  Of  course  if  neces- 
sary he  can  have  a  young  fellow  or  two  from  the  village  to 
help  while  you  are  at  home.  He  seems  to  think  that  in  that 
way  you  could  have  a  boat  of  more  comfortable  size.  I  don't 
know  anything  about  it,  so  I  have  left  the  matter  entirely  to 
him  and  you.  The  difference  of  cost  between  a  small  boat 
and  a  large  one  is  of  no  consequence  one  way  or  the  other." 

Accordingly,  the  next  morning  Marco  and  Horace  started 
directly  after  breakfast  in  the  carriage  to  catch  the  coach, 
which  passed  along  the  main  road  four  miles  from  Seaport, 
and  arrived  at  Exmouth  at  two.  They  had  no  difficulty  in 
finding  the  house  of  Captain  Martyn,  whose  title  was  an  honor- 
ary one,  he  being  a  lieutenant  of  many  years'  sen-ice. 


20  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

" Is  Captain  Martyn  in?"  Horace  asked  the  servant  who 
opened  the  door. 

"No,  sir;  he  is  away  in  the  cutter."  Horace  stood  aghast. 
It  had  never  struck  him  that  the  officer  might  not  be  at  home. 

"His  son  is  in,  Mr.  William  Martyn,  if  that  will  do,"  the 
servant  said,  seeing  the  boy's  look  of  dismay. 

"I  don't  know,"  he  said;  "but  at  any  rate  I  should  like  to 
see  him." 

"I  will  tell  him,  sir,  if  you  will  stay  here." 

A  minute  later  a  tall  powerfully-built  young  fellow  of  two 
or  three-and-twenty  came  to  the  door. 

"Well,  youngster,  what  is  it?"  he  asked. 

"  I  have  come  about  buying  a  boat,  sir.  My  name  is  Bever- 
idge.  I  believe  Captain  Martyn  was  kind  enough  to  say  that 
he  would  look  out  for  a  boat  for  us." 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  have  heard  about  it;  but  whether  it  was  a  dinghy 
or  a  man-of-war  that  was  wanted  we  couldn't  find  out.  Do 
you  intend  to  manage  her  single-handed?" 

"  Oh,  no,  sir !  I  have  done  a  lot  of  sailing  with  the  fisher- 
men at  Seaport,  but  I  could  not  manage  a  boat  by  myself,  not 
if  there  was  any  wind.  But  Marco  was  a  sailor  among  the 
Greek  isles  before  he  entered  my  father's  service." 

"Want  a  comfortable  craft,"  the  Greek,  who  had  learned  to 
speak  a  certain  amount  of  English,  said.  "Can  have  two  or 
three  hands." 

"  Oh,  you  want  a  regular  cruiser !  Well,  you  are  a  lucky 
young  chap,  I  must  say.  The  idea  of  a  young  cub  like  you 
having  a  boat  with  two  or  three  hands  to  knock  about  in  !  Do 
you  want  a  captain,  because  I  am  to  let?  " 

"No,  sir,  we  don't  want  a  captain,  and  we  don't  want  a 
great  big  craft.  Something  about  the  size  of  a  fishing-boat,  I 
should  say.     Are  you  a  sailor?  " 

"Yes,  worse  luck,  I  am  a  master's  mate,  if  you  know  what 
that  is.  It  means  a  passed  midshipman.  I  have  been  a 
master's  mate  for  four  years,  and  am  likely  to  be  one  all  my 
life,  for  I  have  no  more  chance  of  getting  a  berth  than  I  have 


"  WKI.l.,    VOUNGSTER,    WHAT   IS    1T?J 


A    GREEK   STUDENT  21 

of  being  appointed  a  post-captain  to-morrow.  Well,  I  will  put 
on  my  cap  and  go  with  you.  I  have  been  looking  about  since 
my  father  heard  about  a  boat  being  wanted.  The  letter  said 
nothing  about  your  age,  or  what  size  of  boat  was  wanted;  it 
gave  in  fact  no  useful  information  whatever.  It  was  about  as 
much  to  the  point  as  if  they  had  said  you  wanted  to  have  a 
house  and  did  not  say  whether  it  was  a  two-roomed  cottage  or 
a  country  mansion.  But  I  think  I  know  of  a  little  craft  that 
would  about  suit  you.      Does  your  father  sail  himself?  " 

Horace  could  not  help  smiling  at  the  idea.  "  No,"  he  said. 
"My  father  cares  for  nothing  but  studying  Greek.  I  am  at 
Eton,  but  it  is  very  slow  in  the  holidays,  and  as  I  generally 
go  out  with  the  fishermen  the  best  part  of  the  time  I  am  at 
home,  he  thought  it  would  be  a  good  thing  for  me  to  have  a 
boat  of  my  own." 

William  Martyn  looked  quietly  down  at  the  lad,  then  went 
in  and  got  his  cap,  rejoined  them,  and  sauntered  down  tow- 
ards the  river.  He  led  the  way  along  the  wharfs,  passed 
above  the  town,  and  then  pointed  to  a  boat  lying  on  the  mud. 

"That  is  the  craft  I  should  choose  if  I  were  in  your  place," 
he  said.  "She  is  as  sound  as  a  bell,  and  I  wouldn't  mind 
crossing  the  Bay  of  Biscay  in  her." 

"But  she  is  very  large,"  Horace  said,  looking  at  her  with 
some  doubt  in  his  face. 

"She  is  about  fifteen  tons  burthen,"  he  said,  "built  of  oak, 
and  is  only  eight  years  old,  though  she  looks  battered  about 
and  rusty  as  she  lies  there.  She  was  built  from  his  own  de- 
signs by  Captain  Burrows,  as  good  a  sailor  as  ever  stepped. 
She  is  forty  feet  long  and  fifteen  feet  beam.  She  is  fast, 
and  a  splendid  sea-boat,  with  four  foot  draft  of  water.  He 
died  three  years  after  he  built  her,  and  she  has  been  lying 
there  ever  since.  Her  gear  has  been  all  stowed  away  in  a  dry 
place,  and  the  old  sailor  in  charge  of  it  says  it  is  in  perfect 
order.  The  old  captain  used  to  knock  about  on  board  of  her 
with  only  a  man  and  a  boy,  and  she  is  as  easy  to  handle  as  a 
cock-boat.     I  was  out  in  her  more  than  once  when  I  was  at 


22  IX    GREEK   WATERS 

home  on  leave,  and  she  is  a  beauty.  Of  course  you  can't 
judge  of  her  as  she  lies  there;  but  she  has  wonderfully  easy 
lines,  and  sits  the  water  like  a  duck.  She  is  a  dandy,  you  see; 
that  is,  she  carries  a  small  mizzen  mast.  She  was  rigged  so 
because  a  craft  like  that  is  a  good  deal  easier  to  work  short- 
handed  than  a  cutter." 

She  seemed  as  she  lay  there  so  much  larger  than  anything 
Horace  had  had  the  idea  of  possessing  that  he  looked  doubt- 
fully at  Marco. 

"I  think  she  will  do,"  the  Greek  said;  "just  the  sort  of 
boat  for  us.  See  her  when  tide  comes  up,  and  can  go  on 
board.      How  much  cost?  " 

"They  only  want  eighty  pounds  for  her,"  William  Martyn 
said.  "They  asked  a  hundred  and  fifty  at  first;  but  every- 
thing is  so  dull,  and  there  have  been  such  a  lot  of  small  craft 
sold  off  from  the  dockyards,  that  she  has  not  found  a  pur- 
chaser. If  I  had  two  or  three  hundred  a  year  of  my  own  there 
is  nothing  I  should  like  better  than  to  own  that  craft  and  knock 
about  in  her.  Her  only  fault  is  she  wants  head-room.  There 
is  only  five  foot  under  her  beams,  for  she  has  a  low  freeboard. 
That  prevents  her  from  being  sold  as  a  yacht.  But  as  one 
does  not  want  to  walk  about  much  below  I  don't  see  that  that 
matters.  She  has  got  a  roomy  cabin  and  a  nice  little  state- 
room for  the  owner,  and  a  fo'castle  big  enough  for  six  hands." 

"It  would  be  splendid,"  Horace  said.  "But  do  you  think, 
Marco,  my  father  meant  me  to  have  such  a  large  boat  as  this?  " 

The  Greek  nodded.  "Master  said  buy  a  good  big  safe 
boat.  No  use  getting  a  little  thing  Mr.  Horace  tire  of  in  a 
year  or  two.  Can  always  get  a  man  or  two  in  the  holidays.  I 
think  that  is  just  the  boat." 

"Tide  has  nearly  reached  her,"  William  Martyn  said. 
"We  shall  be  able  to  get  off  to  her  in  an  hour.  We  will  go 
and  overhaul  the  gear  now.    I  will  get  the  key  of  the  cabins." 

It  took  them  a  good  hour  to  get  out  the  sails  and  inspect 
them,  and  examine  the  ropes  and  gear.  All  were  pronounced 
in  good  order. 


A   GREEK   STUDENT  23 

"The  sails  are  as  good  for  all  practical  purposes  as  the  day 
they  were  turned  out,"  Martyn  said.  "They  may  not  be  quite 
as  white  as  the  fresh-water  sailors  about  here  think  necessary 
for  their  pleasure  craft,  but  they  are  sound  and  strong,  and 
were  well  scrubbed  before  they  were  put  away.  And  you  may 
be  sure  Burrows  used  none  but  the  best  rope  money  could  buy. 
Now  we  will  go  on  board.  She  will  look  a  different  craft 
when  her  decks  are  holy-stoned,  and  she  gets  two  or  three 
coats  of  paint,"  the  young  officer  went  on  as  they  stepped  on 
board.  "A  landsman  can  never  judge  of  a  boat  when  she  is 
dismantled,  and  he  can't  judge  much  at  any  time.  He  thinks 
more  of  paint  and  polish  than  he  does  of  a  ship's  lines." 

But  Horace  had  seen  enough  of  boats  to  be  able  to  appre- 
ciate to  some  extent  the  easy  lines  of  her  bow  and  her  fine 
run,  and  the  Greek  was  delighted  with  her.  Below  she  was  in 
good  order,  except  that  she  wanted  a  coat  of  paint.  The 
cabins  were  of  course  entirely  dismantled,  but  Horace  was 
surprised  at  their  roominess,  accustomed  as  he  was  to  the  close 
little  fo'castles  of  the  fishing-boats. 

"She  was  fitted  up  in  a  regular  man-of-war  fashion,"  Mar- 
tyn said.  "This  was  just  a  captain's  cabin  on  board  a  frigate, 
but  on  a  small  scale,  and  so  was  the  state-room.  We  did  not 
see  the  furniture,  but  it  is  all  upstairs  in  an  attic  of  the  cot- 
tage we  went  to." 

"  How  long  would  it  take  to  get  her  ready?  "  Horace  asked. 

"About  ten  days.  Most  of  her  ballast  is  out  of  her,  but 
the  rest  ought  to  come  out  so  as  to  give  her  a  regular  clean 
down,  and  a  coat  of  whitewash  below,  before  it  is  all  put  in 
again.  If  you  like,  young  'un,  I  will  look  after  that.  I  have 
got  nothing  to  do,  and  it  will  be  an  amusement  to  me.  I  am 
looking  for  a  berth  at  present  in  a  merchantman,  but  there  are 
such  a  number  of  men  out  of  harness  that  it  isn't  easy  to  get 
a  job.  Look  here,  if  you  really  want  to  learn  some  day  to  be 
fit  to  take  charge  of  this  craft  yourself,  you  could  not  do  better 
than  persuade  your  father  to  let  you  come  over  here  and  see 
her  fitted  up,  then  you  will  know  where  every  rope  goes,  and 


24  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

learn  mere  than  you  would  sitting  about  on  deck  in  the  course 
of  a  year.  There  will  be  no  difficulty  in  getting  a  couple  of 
rooms  ready  for  you  and  your  man  in  the  town." 

"Can  we  get  home  to-night,  sir?  " 

"Yes,  the  coach  goes  through  here  at  six  o'clock." 

"My  father  will  write  to-morrow,  at  least  I  expect  he  will," 
Horace  said.  "It  isn't  very  easy  to  get  him  to  do  things,  but 
I  expect  I  shall  manage." 

"  He  will  write,"  Marco  said  confidently;  and  as  the  boy 
knew  that  the  Greek  had  far  more  opportunities  of  getting  at 
his  father  than  he  had,  he  felt  sure  that  he  would  manage  it. 

"We  are  very  much  obliged  to  you,  Mr.  Martyn,"  he  said. 

"All  right,  young  sir.  If  your  father  decides  to  take  the 
boat  get  him  to  write  to  me;  or  if  he  is  bad  at  writing,  write 
to  me  yourself  after  settling  it  with  him,  and  I  will  put  on 
men  and  see  that  she  is  ready  for  sea  in  a  fortnight." 

"  Do  you  feel  sure  father  will  let  me  have  the  boat,  Marco?  " 
Horace  said  as  soon  as  they  were  alone. 

"It  is  done,"  the  Greek  said  with  a  wave  of  his  hand. 
"He  said  to  me,  'Go  and  buy  a  proper  boat,  see  that  every- 
thing is  right  about  it,  but  don't  worry  me.'  So  when  I  say, 
'I  have  bought  the  boat;  it  is  just  the  thing  we  want;  it  will 
cost  a  hundred  pounds  by  the  time  it  is  ready  for  sea,'  he  will 
say  he  is  glad  to  hear  it,  and  there  will  be  an  end  of  it.  Mr. 
Beveridge  never  troubles." 

"  And  will  you  tell  him  that  it  would  be  a  good  thing  for 
me  to  go  over  and  see  her  fitted  up?  " 

"  I  will  tell  him.  He  will  be  glad  to  know  that  you  have 
got  something  to  do." 

It  was  half -past  ten  o'clock  when  they  got  home.  The 
other  Greek  opened  the  door. 

"  Is  the  master  in  bed  yet,  Zaimes?  " 

"  He  went  upstairs  ten  minutes  ago.  I  think  he  had  for- 
gotten all  about  Horace  not  being  at  home.  He  did  not  men- 
tion his  name  to  me." 

"What  a  nuisance!"  Horace  said.     "Now  I  shall  have  to 


A    GREEK    STUDENT  -'O 

wait  till  morning  before  I  know  about  it,  and  I  am  so  anxious 
to  hear  what  he  says." 

"It  will  be  all  the  pleasanter  when  you  hear,"  Zaimes  said 
quietly. 

The  two  men  were  brothers,  Zaimes  being  ten  years  senior. 
He  was  Mr.  Beveridge's  Valet,  his  brother  being  a  sort  of 
general  assistant,  waiting  at  meals  except  when  Horace  was  at 
home,  when  he  was  considered  specially  told  off  to  him. 
They  lived  apart  from  the  other  servants,  having  a  room  of 
their  own  where  they  cooked  their  meals  in  their  own  fashion. 
Both  were  extremely  attached  to  their  master,  and  would  have 
given  their  lives  for  him. 

"Marco  will  tell  me  all  about  it,  and  I  will  talk  to  the 
master  while  I  am  dressing  him.  You  are  making  Marco 
again  a  boy  like  yourself,  Horace.  He  is  as  eager  about  this 
boat  as  you  are  ";  and  he  smiled  indulgently  at  his  brother, 
whom  he  still  regarded  as  a  boy,  although  he  was  now  nearly 
forty. 

"  That  will  be  the  best  plan,  Zaimes.  I  shall  be  glad  for 
him  to  know  all  about  it  before  breakfast  time,  for  I  am  sure 
I  should  not  like  to  tell  him  that  we  had  fixed  on  a  boat  like 
that." 

Horace  was  a  long  time  before  he  got  to  sleep.  He  had 
never  dreamt  of  anything  bigger  than  an  open  boat,  and  the 
thought  of  having  a  craft  that  he  could  sail  anywhere  along 
the  coast,  and  even  sleep  on  board,  seemed  almost  too  good 
to  be  true.  He  woke  an  hour  before  his  time,  dressed  hastily, 
went  out  into  the  garden,  and  stood  there  looking  over  the 
sea.  The  fishing-boats  were  going  out,  and  he  pictured  to 
himself  the  boat  he  had  seen,  gliding  along  among  them, 
bigger  and  ever  so  much  handsomer  than  any  of  them ;  and 
how  he  would  be  able  to  take  out  his  cousins,  and  perhaps 
some  day  have  a  school  friend  to  spend  the  holidays  with  him 
and  cruise  about.  So  deep  was  he  in  his  thoughts  that  he  was 
surprised  when  he  heard  the  bell  ring  for  breakfast. 

"Now,  then,"  he  said  to  himself  as  he  walked  back  to  the 


26'  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

house,  "  I  shall  know.  Of  course  it  will  be  a  horrible  disap- 
pointment if  he  says  no,  but  I  sha'n't  show  it,  because  it  is 
too  much  to  expect  him  to  do  this.  I  should  never  have 
dreamt  of  such  a  thing  if  it  had  not  been  for  Marco.  Well, 
here  goes";  and  he  walked  into  the  parlour. 

"Good  morning,  father!" 

"  Good  morning,  Horace.  I  am  glad  to  hear  that  Marco 
has  found  just  the  boat  that  he  thinks  will  suit  the  place.  He 
tells  me  you  want  to  go  over  and  see  her  fitted  out.  I  think 
that  that  will  be  a  very  good  plan.  When  you  do  a  thing, 
Horace,  do  it  well  if  it  is  worth  doing  at  all.  Marco  will  go 
back  with  you  by  the  coach  this  morning." 

"Oh,  thank  you,  father;   it  is  awfully  kind  of  you!  " 

"I  wish  you  to  enjoy  yourself,"  his  father  said;  "it  is  no 
more  than  the  price  of  another  horse.  It  is  a  fine  sport  and  a 
healthy  one,  and  I  don't  know  that  it  is  more  dangerous  than 
galloping  about  the  country  on  horseback.  I  have  told  Marco 
to  make  all  arrangements,  and  not  to  worry  me  about  things. 
At  the  beginning  of  each  holiday  he  will  say  how  much  he  will 
require  for  provisions  on  board,  and  the  payment  of  the  wages 
of  a  man  and  a  boy.  I  shall  give  him  a  cheque,  and  there 
will  be  an  end  of  it  as  far  as  I  am  concerned.  I  shall  be 
much  more  at  my  ease  knowing  that  you  are  enjoying  yourself 
on  board  than  wondering  what  you  will  do  to  amuse  yourself 
from  day  to  day." 

Thinking  that  all  that  was  necessary  had  been  said,  Mr. 
Beveridge  then  opened  a  Greek  book  that  lay  as  usual  beside 
his  plate,  and  speedily  became  absorbed  in  it.  When  he 
himself  had  finished,  Horace  slipped  away.  He  knew  that 
his  father  would  be  at  least  two  hours  over  the  meal,  which  he 
only  turned  to  when  Zaimes  made  a  movement  to  attract  his 
attention,  everything  being  kept  down  by  the  fire,  which  was 
lit  specially  for  that  purpose,  even  in  summer. 

"It  is  all  settled,  Marco;  think  of  that!  Won't  it  be 
glorious?  " 

"  It  will  be  very  good,   Horace.     I  shall  like  it  almost  as 


A    GREEK    STUDENT  _'( 

much  as  you  will.  I  love  the  sea,  even  this  gray  ugly  sea  of 
yours,  which  is  so  different  from  the  blue  of  the  y£gean.  I  too 
mope  a  little  sometimes  when  you  are  not  at  home,  for  though 
I  have  the  kindest  and  best  of  masters,  one  longs  sometimes 
for  change.  I  told  you  your  father  would  agree.  It  is  just 
what  I  told  him  we  should  want.  An  open  boat  is  no  use 
except  when  the  weather  is  fine,  and  then  one  must  always 
keep  close  to  port  in  case  the  wind  should  drop,  and  when  it 
comes  calm  you  have  to  break  your  back  with  rowing.  Oh, 
we  will  have  fine  sails  together,  and  as  you  grow  older  we  can 
go  farther  away,  for  she  should  be  safe  anywhere.  When  you 
become  a  man  I  daresay  he  will  get  for  you  something  bigger, 
and  then  perhaps  we  can  sail  together  to  Greece,  and  perhaps 
the  master  will  go  with  you,  for  he  loves  Greece  as  much  as 
we  do." 

There  was  a  fortnight  of  hard  work.  William  Martyn  was 
in  command,  and  kept  Horace  at  work  as  if  he  had  been  a 
young  midshipman  under  his  orders;  while  Marco  turned  his 
hand  to  everything,  singing  snatches  of  sailor  songs  he  had 
sung  as  he  fished  when  a  boy,  chattering  in  Greek  to  Horace, 
and  in  broken  English  to  the  two  men. 

"You  are  going  to  be  skipper,  I  hear,"  William  Martyn  said 
to  him  one  day. 

"  Going  to  skip  !  "  Marco  repeated  vaguely.  "  I  know  not 
what  you  mean." 

"Going  to  be  captain — padrone." 

Marco  shook  his  head.  "  No,  sir.  Can  sail  open  boat 
good,  but  not  fit  to  take  charge  of  boat  like  this.  Going  to 
have  man  at  Seaport,  a  good  fisherman.  He  sailed  a  long 
time  in  big  ships.  Man-of-war's  man.  When  war  over,  came 
back  to  fish.  I  shall  look  after  young  master,  cook  food  for 
him,  pull  at  rope,  steer  sometimes;  but  other  man  be  captain 
and  sail  boat." 

William  Martyn  nodded.  "Quite  right,  Marco;  these 
fishermen  know  the  coast,  and  the  weather,  and  the  ports  and 
creeks  to  run   into.      It  is  all  very  well  in  fine  weather,  but 


28  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

when  you  get  a  blow,  a  craft  like  this  wants  a  man  who  can 
handle  her  well." 

Horace's  pride  in  the  craft  increased  every  day.  As  she  lay 
weather-beaten  and  dismantled  on  the  mud  she  had  seemed  to 
him  larger  but  not  superior  in  appearance  to  the  fishing  craft 
of  Seaport,  which  were  most  of  them  boats  of  ten  or  twelve 
tons;  but  each  day  her  appearance  changed,  and  at  the  end 
of  ten  days — with  all  her  rigging  in  place,  her  masts  and  spars 
scraped,  her  deck  fairly  white,  and  her  sides  glossy  with  black 
paint — she  seemed  to  him  a  thing  of  perfect  beauty.  It  was 
just  the  fortnight  when  the  paint  and  varnish  of  the  cabins 
were  dry,  the  furniture  in  its  place,  and  everything  ready  for 
sea.  Horace's  delight  culminated  when  the  anchor  was  got 
up,  sail  set  on  her,  and  William  Martyn  took  the  helm,  as 
with  a  light  wind  she  ran  down  through  the  craft  in  the  har- 
bour for  a  trial  trip. 

"She  is  a  wonderfully  handy  little  craft,"  the  mate  said 
approvingly,  as  she  began  to  rise  and  fall  on  the  swell  outside; 
"  the  old  captain  knew  what  he  was  doing  when  he  laid  down 
her  lines.  She  is  like  a  duck  on  the  water.  I  have  been  out 
in  her  when  big  ships  were  putting  their  noses  into  it,  and 
she  never  shipped  a  pailful  of  water.  I  can  tell  you  you  are 
in  luck,  youngster.      How  are  you  going  to  take  her  round?  " 

"  I  was  going  to  write  to-night  for  Tom  Burdett — that  is  the 
man  Marco  spoke  about — to  come  over  by  coach." 

"I  will  tell  you  what  I  will  do,  youngster;  I  will  take  her 
over  for  you.  I  shall  enjoy  the  trip.  If  you  like  we  will  start 
to-morrow  morning." 

"I  should  like  that  immensely,"  Horace  said;  "we  shall 
astonish  them  when  we  sail  into  the  port." 

"Very  well,  then,  that  is  agreed;  you  had  better  get  some 
stores  on  board;  I  mean  provisions.  Of  course  if  the  weather 
holds  like  this  we  should  be  there  in  the  evening;  but  it  is  a 
good  rule  at  sea  never  to  trust  the  weather.  Always  have 
enough  grub  and  water  for  a  week  on  board;  then,  if  you 
happen  to  be  blown  off  shore,  or  anything  of  that  sort,  it  is  of 
no  consequence." 


A   YACHT  29 


CHAPTER  II 

A    YACHT 

MARCO,  who  acted  as  banker  and  appeared  to  Horace  to 
be  provided  with  an  unlimited  amount  of  money,  was 
busy  all  the  evening  getting  crockery,  cooking-utensils,  knives 
and  forks,  table-cloths,  towels,  and  other  necessaries. 

"Why,  it  is  like  fitting  out  a  house,  Marco." 

"Well,  it  is  a  little  floating  house,"  the  Greek  said:  "it  is 
much  better  to  have  your  own  things,  and  not  to  have  to  bor- 
row from  the  house  every  time.  Now  we  will  get  some  pro- 
visions, two  or  three  bottles  of  rum  for  bad  weather,  or  when 
we  have  visitors  on  board,  and  then  we  shall  be  complete. 
Mr.  Martyn  said  he  would  see  to  the  water.  Now,  we  will  go 
to  bed  soon,  for  we  are  to  be  down  at  the  wharf  at  six  o'clock; 
and  if  we  are  not  there  in  time  you  may  be  sure  that  you  will 
get  a  rating." 

"There  is  no  fear  of  my  being  late,  Marco.  I  don't  think 
I  shall  sleep  all  night." 

"  Ah !  we  shall  see.  You  have  been  on  your  feet  since 
seven  this  morning.  I  shall  have  to  pull  you  by  your  ear  to 
wake  you  in  the  morning." 

This,  however,  was  not  necessary.  The  boy  was  fast  asleep 
in  five  minutes  after  he  had  laid  his  head  on  the  pillow;  he 
woke  soon  after  daylight,  dropped  off  to  sleep  several  times, 
but  turned  out  at  five,  opened  the  door  of  the  Greek's  room, 
and  shouted : 

"Now,  then,  Marco,  time  to  get  up;  if  you  do  not,  it  is  I 
who  will  do  the  ear-pulling." 

They  were  down  at  the  wharf  at  a  quarter  to  six.  As  the 
clock  struck  the  hour  William  Martyn  came  down. 

"Good-morning,  youngster!  you  are  before  your  time,  I 
see.  You  wouldn't  be  so  ready  to  turn  out  after  you  had  had 
a  year  or  two  on  board  ship.     Well,    it  looks  as  if  we  are 


30  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

going  to  have  a  grand  day.  There  is  a  nice  little  breeze,  and 
I  fancy  it  will  freshen  a  good  bit  later  on.  Now,  then,  tumble 
into  the  dinghy,  I  will  take  the  sculls;  the  tide  is  running  out 
strong,  and  you  might  run  her  into  the  yacht  and  damage  the 
paint;  that  would  be  a  nice  beginning." 

As  soon  as  they  were  on  board,  the  mate  said : 

"  Now,  off  with  those  shoes,  youngster.  You  can  go  bare- 
foot if  you  like,  or  you  can  put  on  those  slippers  you  bought; 
we  have  got  the  deck  fairly  white,  and  we  must  not  spoil  it. 
You  should  make  that  a  rule :  everyone  who  comes  on  board 
takes  off  his  boots  at  once." 

The  Greek  made  the  dinghy  fast,  and  then  took  off  his 
shoes  and  stockings.  Horace  put  on  the  slippers,  and  the 
mate  a  pair  of  light  shoes  he  had  brought  on  board  with  him. 

"Now,  then,  off  with  the  sail-covers;  fold  them  up  and  put 
them  down  under  the  seat  of  the  cockpit.  Knot  up  the  tyers 
loosely  together,  and  put  them  there  also.  Never  begin  to 
hoist  your  sails  till  you  have  got  the  covers  and  tyers  snugly 
packed  away.  Now,  Marco,  get  number  two  jib  out  of  the 
sail-locker.  I  don't  think  we  shall  want  number  one  to-day. 
Now,  hook  on  the  halliards.  No;  don't  hoist  yet,  run  it  out 
first  by  the  outhaul  to  the  end  of  the  bowsprit.  We  won't 
hoist  it  till  we  have  got  the  mainmast  and  mizzen  up.  Now, 
Marco,  you  take  the  peak  halliards,  and  I  will  take  the  main. 
Now,  then,  up  she  goes;  ease  off  the  sheet  a  bit.  Horace, 
we  must  top  the  boom  a  bit;  that  is  high  enough.  Marco, 
make  fast;  now  up  with  the  mizzen;  that  is  right.  Now, 
Horace,  before  you  do  anything  else  always  look  round,  see 
that  everything  is  right,  the  halliards  properly  coiled  up  and 
turned  over  so  as  to  run  freely,  in  case  you  want  to  lower  or 
reef  sail,  the  sheets  ready  to  slacken  out,  the  foresail  and  jib 
sheets  brought  aft  on  their  proper  sides.  There  is  nothing  in 
our  way  now;  but  when  there  are  craft  in  the  way,  you  want 
to  have  everything  in  perfect  order,  and  ready  to  draw  the 
moment  the  anchor  is  off  the  ground.  Otherwise  you  might 
run  foul  of  something  before  you  got  fairly  off,  and  nothing 


A    YACHT  31 

can  look  more  lubberly  than  that.  Now  you  take  the  helm, 
and  Marco  and  I  will  get  up  the  anchor.  The  wind  is  nearly 
dead  down  the  river:  don't  touch  the  tiller  till  I  tell  you." 

Horace  stood  by  the  helm  till  the  mate  said : 

"The  chain  is  nearly  up  and  down;  now  put  the  tiller 
gently  to  starboard." 

As  he  spoke  he  ran  up  the  jib,  and  as  the  boat's  head  payed 
off,  fastened  the  sheet  to  windward. 

"Now,  Marco,  round  with  the  windlass;  that  is  right,  the 
anchor  is  clear  now;  up  with  it." 

As  he  spoke  he  ran  up  the  foresail.  "  Slack  off  the  main 
sheets,  lad,  handsomely;  that  is  right,  let  them  go  free;  slack 
off  the  mizzen  sheets." 

The  wind  had  caught  the  jib  now,  and,  aided  by  the  tide, 
brought  the  boat's  head  sharply  round.  The  jib  and  foresheets 
were  hauled  to  leeward,  and  in  less  than  a  minute  from  the 
time  the  anchor  had  left  the  ground  the  boat  was  running 
down  the  river  with  her  sheets  well  off  before  the  wind. 

"Helm  a-port  a  little,  Horace,  so  as  to  give  us  plenty  of 
room  in  passing  that  brig  at  anchor.  That  is  enough.  Steady  ! 
Now  keep  as  you  are.  Marco,  I  will  help  you  get  the  anchor 
on  board,  and  then  we  will  get  up  the  topsail  and  set  it." 

In  ten  minutes  the  anchor  was  stowed,  topsail  set,  and  the 
ropes  coiled  down.  Then  a  small  triangular  blue  flag  with  the 
word  "Surf  "  was  run  up  to  the  masthead. 

"  Properly  speaking,  Horace,  flags  are  not  shown  till  eight 
o'clock  in  the  morning;  but  we  will  make  an  exception  this 
time.  Gently  with  the  tiller,  lad;  you  are  not  steering  a  fish- 
ing-boat now;  a  touch  is  sufficient  for  this  craft.  Keep  your 
eye  on  the  flag,  and  see  that  it  flies  out  straight  ahead.  That 
is  the  easiest  thing  to  steer  by  when  you  are  dead  before  the 
wind.  There  is  more  care  required  for  that  than  for  steering 
close-hauled,  for  a  moment's  carelessness  might  bring  the  sail 
across  with  a  jerk  that  would  pretty  well  take  the  mast  out  of 
her.  It  is  easy  enough  now  in  smooth  water;  but  with  a  fol- 
lowing sea  it  needs  a  careful  helmsman  to  keep  a  craft  from 
yawing  about." 


32  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

Marco  had  disappeared  down  the  forecastle  hatch  as  soon 
as  he  had  finished  coiling  down  the  topsail  halliard,  and  a 
wreath  of  smoke  now  came  up  through  the  stove-pipe. 

"That  is  good,"  the  mate  said.  "We  shall  have  breakfast 
before  long." 

They  ran  three  miles  straight  out,  so  as  to  get  well  clear  of 
the  land;  then  the  sheets  were  hauled  in,  and  the  Surf's  head 
pointed  east,  and  lying  down  to  her  gunwale  she  sped  along 
parallel  with  the  shore. 

"We  are  going  along  a  good  seven  knots  through  the 
water,"  the  mate  said.  "She  has  got  just  as  much  sail  as 
she  wants,  though  she  would  stand  a  good  deal  more  wind, 
if  there  were  any  occasion  to  press  her;  but  as  a  rule,  Horace, 
always  err  on  the  right  side;  there  is  never  any  good  in 
carrying  too  much  sail.  You  can  always  make  more  sail  if 
the  wind  drops,  while  if  it  rises  it  is  not  always  easy  to  get  it 
in.  Give  me  the  helm.  Now  go  down  to  Marco  and  tell  him 
to  come  up  a  few  minutes  before  breakfast  is  ready.  We  will 
get  the  topsail  off  her  before  we  sit  down,  and  eat  our  break- 
fast comfortably.  There  is  no  fun  in  having  your  plate  in  your 
lap." 

By  half-past  seven  the  topsail  was  stowed  and  breakfast  on 
the  table.  Marco  took  the  helm,  while  the  mate  and  Horace 
went  down  to  breakfast.  Horace  thought  that  it  was  the  most 
delightful  meal  he  had  ever  taken;  and  the  mate  said: 

"That  Greek  of  yours  is  a  first-rate  cook,  Horace.  An 
admiral  could  not  want  to  sit  down  to  a  better  breakfast  than 
this.  There  is  not  much  here  to  remind  me  of  a  midship- 
man's mess.  You  would  have  had  very  different  food  from 
this,  youngster,  if  you  had  had  your  wish  and  gone  to  sea. 
That  father  of  yours  must  be  a  trump;  I  drink  his  health  in 
coffee.  If  he  ever  gets  a  bigger  craft,  and  wants  a  captain,  I 
am  his  man  if  he  will  send  your  Greek  on  board  as  cook. 
Does  he  care  for  the  sea  himself?  " 

"I  think  he  used  to  like  it.  I  have  heard  him  talk  about 
sailing  among  the  Greek  islands;  but  as  long  as  I  have  known 


A  YACHT  66 

him  he  has  never  been  away  from  home  except  for  short  runs 
up  to  London.     He  is  always  in  his  library." 

"  Fancy  a  man  who  could  afford  to  keep  a  big  craft  and  sail 
about  as  he  likes  wasting  his  life  over  musty  old  books.  It  is 
a  rum  taste,  youngster.  I  think  I  would  rather  row  in  a 
galley." 

"There  are  no  such  things  as  galleys  now,  are  there?  " 

"Oh,  yes,  there  are  in  Italy;  they  have  them  still  rowed  by 
convicts,  and  I  fancy  the  Spanish  gun-boats  are  rowed  by 
prisoners  too.  It  is  worse  than  a  dog's  life,  but  for  all  that 
I  would  rather  do  it  than  be  shut  up  all  my  life  in  a  library. 
You  seem  to  talk  Greek  well,  youngster." 

"Yes;  Marco  has  always  been  with  me  since  I  was  a  child, 
and  we  have  another  Greek  servant,  his  brother;  and  father 
generally  talks  Greek  to  me.  His  mother  was  a  Greek  lady, 
and  that  is  what  made  him  so  fond  of  it  at  first.  They  say  he 
is  the  best  Greek  scholar  in  England." 

"I  suppose  it  differs  a  lot  from  the  Greek  you  learn  at 
school? " 

"Yes,  a  lot.  Still,  of  course,  my  knowing  it  helps  me 
tremendously  with  my  old  Greek.  I  get  on  first-rate  at  that, 
but  I  am  very  bad  at  everything  else." 

"Well,  now  we  will  go  up  and  give  Marco  a  spell,"  the 
mate  said.  Marco  was  relieved  and  went  below.  Horace 
took  the  helm;  the  mate  lit  a  pipe  and  seated  himself  on  the 
weather  bulwark.  "  We  shall  be  at  Seaport  before  eleven  if 
we  go  on  like  this,"  he  said. 

"Oh,  do  let  us  take  a  run  out  to  sea,  Mr.  Martyn;  it  is  no 
use  our  going  in  until  four  or  five  o'clock." 

"Just  as  you  like,  lad;  I  am  in  no  hurry,  and  it  is  really  a 
glorious  day  for  a  sail.  Put  up  the  helm,  I  will  see  to  the 
sheets." 

As  they  got  farther  from  the  protection  of  the  land  the  sea 
got  up  a  bit,  but  the  Surf  went  over  it  lightly,  and  except  that 
an  occasional  splash  of  spray  flew  over  her  bow,  her  decks 
were  perfectly  dry. 


34  IN   GREEK    WATERS 

"Have  you  heard  of  a  ship  yet,  Mr.  Martyn?  " 

"Yes,  I  heard  only  yesterday  of  a  berth  as  first-mate  in  a 
craft  at  Plymouth.  The  first-mate  got  hurt  coming  down 
channel,  and  a  friend  of  my  father's,  learning  there  was  a 
vacancy,  spoke  to  the  owners.  She  belongs  there,  and  I  am 
to  join  the  day  after  to-morrow.  She  is  bound  up  the  Medi- 
terranean. I  shall  be  very  glad  to  be  off;  I  have  had  a  dull 
time  of  it  for  the  last  four  months  except  for  this  little  job." 

"I  am  afraid  you  won't  get  any  vehicle  to  take  you  back 
to-night,"  Horace  said. 

"No,  I  didn't  expect  that;  the  coach  in  the  morning  will 
do  very  well.  I  have  nothing  to  do  but  just  to  pack  my  kit, 
and  shall  go  on  by  coach  next  morning.  I  was  thinking  of 
sleeping  on  board  here,  if  you  have  no  objection." 

"  I  am  sure  my  father  will  be  very  glad  to  see  you  up  at  the 
house,"  Horace  said  eagerly. 

"Thank  you,  lad,  but  I  shall  be  much  more  comfortable  on 
board.  Marco  said  he  would  get  dinner  at  two,  and  there  is 
sure  to  be  plenty  for  me  to  make  a  cold  supper  of,  and  as 
there  is  rum  in  the  locker  I  shall  be  as  happy  as  a  king.  I 
can  smoke  my  pipe  as  I  like.  If  I  were  to  go  up  with  you  I 
should  be  uncomfortable,  for  I  have  nothing  but  my  sea-going 
togs.  I  should  put  your  father  out  of  his  way,  and  he  would 
put  me  out  of  mine.  So  I  think,  on  all  accounts,  I  had  much 
better  remain  in  good  quarters  now  I  have  got  them.  How 
far  is  it  to  the  place  where  I  catch  the  coach?" 

"About  four  miles.  We  will  send  the  carriage  to  take  you 
there." 

"Thank  you,  I  would  much  rather  walk.  I  have  nothing 
to  carry  but  myself,  and  a  four  miles'  walk  across  the  hills  will 
be  just  the  thing  for  me." 

At  four  o'clock  the  Surf  entered  the  little  harbour  of  Sea- 
port; Horace  was  delighted  with  the  surprise  of  the  fishermen 
at  the  arrival  of  the  pretty  craft. 

"You  are  sure  you  won't  change  your  mind  and  come  up 
with  me  to  the  house?  " 


A   YACHT  35 

"Quite  certain,  thank  you,  lad.  Marco  has  put  out  every- 
thing I  can  possibly  require.  He  offered  to  come  down  to 
get  breakfast  for  me,  but  I  prefer  to  manage  that  for  myself, 
then  I  can  have  it  at  any  time  I  fancy.  I  will  lock  up  the 
cabin  before  I  land.     He  will  be  there  to  take  the  key." 

"  I  shall  come  down  with  him,  of  course,  Mr.  Martyn.  I 
can't  tell  you  how  much  I  am  obliged  to  you  for  what  you 
have  done  for  me,  and  I  hope  that  some  day  we  may  have 
another  sail  together." 

"  If  I  am  at  home  any  time  when  you  may  happen  to  put  in 
at  Exmouth  I  shall  be  glad  to  take  a  cruise  with  you,  Horace." 

As  the  lad  and  Marco  went  up  the  hill  to  the  house,  Horace, 
to  his  surprise,  met  his  father  coming  down  with  Zaimes. 

"  Well,  Horace,  so  you  have  brought  your  yacht  home. 
Zaimes  routed  me  out  from  my  work  to  come  and  look  at  her, 
and  she  really  looks  a  very  pretty  little  vessel." 

"She  is  not  little  at  all,  father." 

"Perhaps  not  in  comparison,  Horace;  but  did  you  and 
Marco  bring  her  back  by  yourselves?" 

"No,  father;  William  Martyn,  the  officer  who  has  seen  to 
her  fitting  up,  and  who  recommended  her,  you  know,  said  he 
would  come  with  us.  So,  of  course,  he  has  been  in  command, 
and  Marco  and  I  have  been  the  crew.  He  has  been  teaching 
me  lots  of  things,  just  the  same,  he  says,  as  if  I  had  been  a 
newly  joined  midshipman." 

"But  where  is  he  now,  Horace?" 

"  He  is  on  board.  He  is  going  home  by  the  coach  to-mor- 
row. I  said  that  I  was  sure  you  would  be  glad  if  he  would 
come  up  to  the  house;  but  he  said  he  should  feel  more  com- 
fortable on  board.  Were  you  coming  down  to  look  at  her, 
father?  " 

"  Yes,  Horace,  I  was.  It  is  quite  a  wonderful  event  my 
being  outside  the  grounds,  isn't  it?  " 

"  It  is  indeed,  father.  I  am  so  glad  you  are  coming  down. 
I  am  sure  you  will  like  her,  and  then,  perhaps,  you  will  come 
sailing  sometimes;  I  do  think,  father,  that  you  would  enjoy 
such  a  sail  as  we  had  to-day,  it  was  splendid." 


36  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

"Well,  we  will  see  about  it,  Horace.  Now  I  have  once 
come  out  I  may  do  so  again;  I  am  not  sure  that  a  good  blow 
might  not  clear  my  brain  sometimes." 

There  was  quite  an  excitement  in  the  village  when  Mr. 
Beveridge  was  seen  coming  down.  Occasionally  during  his 
wife's  lifetime  he  had  come  down  with  her  to  look  into  ques- 
tions of  repairs  or  erection  of  new  cottages  in  lieu  of  old  ones, 
but  since  that  time  he  had  never  entered  the  village.  Per- 
sonally his  tenants  did  not  suffer  from  the  cessation  of  his 
visits,  for  his  steward  had  the  strictest  injunctions  to  deal  in 
all  respects  liberally  with  them,  to  execute  all  necessary  re- 
pairs, to  accede  to  any  reasonable  request:  while  in  case  of 
illness  or  misfortune,  such  as  the  loss  of  a  boat  or  nets,  the 
rent  was  always  remitted.  That  Mr.  Beveridge  was  to  a  cer- 
tain extent  mad  to  shut  himself  up  as  he  did  the  villagers 
firmly  believed,  but  they  admitted  that  no  better  landlord  was 
to  be  found  in  all  that  part  of  the  country. 

Mrs.  Beveridge  had  been  greatly  liked,  and  the  people  were 
pleased  at  Horace  being  down  so  much  among  them;  but  it 
was  rather  a  sore  subject  that  their  landlord  himself  held  so 
entirely  aloof  from  them.  Men  touched  their  hats,  the  women 
curtsied  as  he  came  down  the  street,  looking  almost  with  pity 
at  the  man  who,  in  their  opinion,  so  terribly  wasted  his  life 
and  cut  himself  off  from  the  enjoyments  of  his  position. 

Mr.  Beveridge  returned  their  salutes  kindly.  He  was  scarce 
conscious  of  the  time  that  had  passed  since  he  was  last  in  the 
village;  the  years  had  gone  by  altogether  unmarked  save  by 
the  growth  of  Horace,  and  by  the  completion  of  so  many 
works. 

"  I  suppose  you  know  most  of  their  names,  Horace?  " 

"All  of  them,  I  think,  father." 

"That  is  right,  boy.  A  landlord  ought  to  know  all  his 
tenants.  I  wish  I  could  find  time  to  go  about  among  them  a 
little  more,  but  I  think  they  have  everything  they  want  as  far 
as  I  can  do  for  them;  still,  I  ought  to  come.  In  your  mother's 
time  I  did  come  sometimes.     I  must  try  to  do  it  in  future. 


A  YACHT  37 

Zaimes,  you  must  see  that  I  do  this  once  a  fortnight.  I 
authorize  you  to  bring  me  my  hat  and  coat  after  lunch  and 
say  to  me  firmly,  '  This  is  your  afternoon  for  going  out.'  " 

"Very  well,  sir,"  the  Greek  said.  "I  will  tell  you;  and  I 
hope  you  will  not  say,  as  you  always  do  to  me  when  I  beg  you 
to  go  out:  'I  must  put  it  off  for  another  day,  Zaimes,  I  have 
some  work  that  must  be  done.'  " 

"  I  will  try  not  to,  Zaimes,  I  will  indeed.  I  think  this  is  a 
duty.     You  remind  me  of  that,  will  you?  " 

By  this  time  they  had  reached  the  little  port,  where  a  num- 
ber of  the  fishermen  were  still  lounging  discussing  the  Surf, 
which  was  lying  the  picture  of  neatness  and  good  order  among 
the  fishing-boats,  with  every  rope  in  its  place,  the  sails  in 
their  snow-white  covers,  and  presenting  the  strongest  contrast 
to  the  craft  around  her. 

"She  is  really  a  very  pretty  little  yacht,"  Mr.  Beveridge 
said  with  more  animation  than  Horace  ever  remembered  to 
have  heard  him  speak  with.  "  She  does  great  credit  to  your 
choice,  Marco,  and  I  should  think  she  is  a  good  sea-boat. 
Why,  Zaimes,  this  almost  seems  to  take  one  back  to  the  old 
time.  She  is  about  the  size  of  the  felucca  we  used  to  cruise 
about  in;  it  is  a  long  time  back,  nearly  eighteen  years,  and 
yet  it  seems  but  yesterday." 

"There  is  no  reason  why  you  should  not  sail  again,  master; 
even  I  long  to  have  my  foot  on  the  planks.  One  never  loses 
one's  love  of  the  sea." 

"  I  am  getting  to  be  an  old  man  now,  Zaimes." 

"No  one  would  say  so  but  yourself,  master;  you  are  but 
forty-three.  Sometime's,  after  being  shut  up  for  days,  you  look 
old — who  would  not  when  the  sun  never  shines  on  them 
— but  now  you  look  young,  much  younger  than  you  are." 

A  stranger  indeed  would  have  had  difficulty  in  guessing  Mr. 
Beveridge' s  age.  His  forehead  was  broad,  his  skin  delicate 
and  almost  colourless,  his  light-brown  hair  was  already  of  a 
silvery  shade,  his  face  clean  shaven,  his  hands  white  and 
thin.     His  eyes  were  generally  soft  and  dreamy,  but  at  the 


3S  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

present  moment  they  were  bright  and  alert.  His  figure  was 
scarcely  that  of  a  student,  for  the  frame  was  large,  and  there 
was  at  present  none  of  the  stoop  habitual  to  those  who  spend 
their  lives  over  books;  and  now  that  he  was  roused,  he  carried 
himself  exceptionally  upright,  and  a  close  observer  might  have 
taken  him  for  a  vigorous  man  who  had  but  lately  recovered 
from  an  attack  of  severe  illness. 

"We  shall  see,  Zaimes,  we  shall  see,"  he  said;  "let  us  go 
on  board.     You  had  better  hail  her,  Horace." 

"  67/// ahoy !  "  Horace  shouted,  imitating  as  well  as  he  could 
William  Martyn's  usual  hail.  A  minute  later  the  mate's  head 
appeared  above  the  companion.  "  My  father  is  coming  on 
board,  Mr.  Martyn.  Will  you  please  bring  the  dinghy  ashore." 
The  mate  hauled  up  the  dinghy,  got  into  it,  and  in  a  few 
strokes  was  alongside  the  quay. 

Mr.  Beveridge  descended  the  steps  first.  "  I  am  glad  to 
meet  you,  Mr.  Martyn,  and  to  thank  you  for  the  kindness  you 
have  shown  my  son  in  finding  this  craft  for  him  and  seeing  to 
its  being  fitted  out." 

"  It  has  been  an  amusement,  sir,"  the  mate  said.  "I  was 
knocking  about  Exmouth  with  nothing  to  do,  and  it  was 
pleasant  to  be  at  work  on  something." 

"Get  in,  Horace,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said,  "the  dinghy  won't 
carry  us  all.     You  can  bring  it  back  again  for  the  others." 

The  party  stayed  for  half  an  hour  on  board.  Mr.  Bever- 
idge was  warm  in  his  approval  of  the  arrangements. 

"This  is  a  snug  cabin  indeed,"  he  said.  "I  had  no  idea 
that  such  a  small  craft  could  have  had  such  good  accommoda- 
tion. One  could  wish  for  nothing  better  except  for  a  little 
more  head-room,  but  after  all  that  is  of  no  great  consequence, 
one  does  not  want  to  walk  about  below.  It  is  a  place  to  eat 
and  to  sleep  in,  or,  if  it  is  wet,  to  read  in.  I  really  wonder 
I  never  thought  of  having  a  sailing-boat  before.  I  shall  cer- 
tainly take  a  sail  with  you  sometimes,  Horace." 

"I  am  very  glad  of  that,  father,  it  would  be  very  jolly  hav- 
ing you  out.  I  don't  see  much  of  you,  you  know,  and  I  do 
think  it  would  do  you  good." 


A   YACHT  39 

William  Martyn  was  not  allowed  to  earn7  out  his  intention 
of  staying  on  board,  nor  did  he  resist  very  earnestly  Mr. 
Beveridge's  pressing  invitation.  His  host  differed  widely 
from  his  preconceived  notions  of  him,  and  he  saw  that  he 
need  not  be  afraid  of  ceremony. 

"You  can  smoke  your  pipe,  you  know,  in  the  library  after 
dinner,  Mr.  Martyn.  I  have  no  objection  whatever  to  smoke: 
indeed,  I  used  to  smoke  myself  when  I  was  in  Greece  as  a 
young  man — everyone  did  so  there,  and  I  got  to  like  it, 
though  I  gave  it  up  afterwards.   Why  did  I  give  it  up,  Zaimes?  " 

"  I  think  you  gave  it  up,  master,  because  you  always  let 
your  cigar  out  after  smoking  two  or  three  whiffs,  and  never 
thought  of  it  again  for  the  rest  of  the  day." 

"Perhaps  that  was  it;  at  any  rate  your  smoking  will  in  no 
way  incommode  me,  so  I  will  take  no  denial." 

Accordingly  the  cabins  were  locked  up,  and  William  Martyn 
went  up  with  the  others  to  the  house  and  there  spent  a  very 
pleasant  evening.  He  had  in  the  course  of  his  service  sailed 
for  some  time  in  Greek  waters,  and  there  was  consequently 
much  to  talk  about  which  interested  both  himself  and  his  host. 

"I  love  Greece,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said.  "Had  it  not  been 
that  she  lies  dead  under  the  tyranny  of  the  Turks  I  doubt  if  I 
should  not  have  settled  there  altogether." 

"  I  think  you  would  have  got  tired  of  it,  sir,"  the  mate  said. 
"There  is  nothing  to  be  said  against  the  country  or  the 
islands,  except  that  there  are  precious  few  good  harbours 
among  them:  but  I  can't  say  I  took  to  the  people." 

"They  have  their  faults,"  Mr.  Beveridge  admitted,  "but  I 
think  they  are  the  faults  of  their  position  more  than  of  their 
natural  character.  Slaves  are  seldom  trustworthy,  and  I  own 
that  they  are  not  as  a  rule  to  be  relied  upon.  Having  no 
honourable  career  open  to  them,  the  upper  classes  think  of 
nothing  but  money;  they  are  selfish,  greedy,  and  corrupt;  but 
I  believe  in  the  bulk  of  the  people." 

As  William  Martyn  had  no  belief  whatever  in  any  section 
of  the  Greeks  he  held  his  tongue. 


40  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

"Greece  will  rise  one  of  these  days,"  Mr.  Beveridge  went 
on,  "and  when  she  does  she  will  astonish  Europe.  The  old 
spirit  still  lives  among  the  descendants  of  Leonidas  and  Mil- 
tiades." 

"  I  should  be  sorry  to  be  one  of  the  Turks  who  fell  into 
their  hands,"  William  Martyn  said  gravely  as  he  thought  of 
the  many  instances  in  his  own  experiences  of  the  murders  cf 
sailors  on  leave  ashore. 

"It  is  probable  that  there  will  be  sad  scenes  of  bloodshed," 
Mr.  Beveridge  agreed;  "that  is  only  to  be  expected  when  you 
have  a  race  of  men  of  a  naturally  impetuous  and  passionate 
character  enslaved  by  a  people  alien  in  race  and  in  religion. 
Yes,  I  fear  it  will  be  so  at  the  commencement,  but  that  will 
be  all  altered  when  they  become  disciplined  soldiers.  Do 
you  not  think  so?"  he  asked,  as  the  sailor  remained  silent. 

"I  have  great  doubts  whether  they  will  ever  submit  to  dis- 
cipline," he  said  bluntly.  "Their  idea  of  fighting  for  cen- 
turies has  been  simply  to  shoot  down  an  enemy  from  behind 
the  shelter  of  rocks.  I  would  as  lief  undertake  to  discipline 
an  army  of  Malays,  who,  in  a  good  many  respects,  especially 
in  the  handiness  with  which  they  use  their  knives,  are  a  good 
deal  like  the  Greeks." 

"There  is  one  broad  distinction,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said  :  "  the 
Malays  have  no  past,  the  Greeks  have  never  lost  the  remem- 
brance of  their  ancient  glory.  They  have  a  high  standard  to 
act  up  to;  they  reverence  the  names  of  the  great  men  of  old 
as  if  they  had  died  but  yesterday.  With  them  it  would  be  a 
resurrection,  accomplished,  no  doubt,  after  vast  pains  and 
many  troubles,  the  more  so  since  the  Greeks  are  a  composite 
people  among  whom  the  descendants  of  the  veritable  Greek 
of  old  are  in  a  great  minority.  The  majority  are  of  Albanian 
and  Suliot  blood,  races  which  even  the  Romans  found  untam- 
able. When  the  struggle  begins  I  fear  that  this  section  of  the 
race  will  display  the  savagery  of  their  nature;  but  the  fighting 
over,  the  intellectual  portion  will,  I  doubt  not,  regain  their 
proper  ascendency,  and  Greece  will  become  the  Greece  of 
old  " 


A   YACHT  41 

William  Martyn  was  wise  enough  not  to  pursue  the  subject. 
He  had  a  deep  scar  from  the  shoulder  to  the  elbow  of  his  right 
arm,  and  another  on  the  left  shoulder,  both  reminiscences  of 
an  attack  that  had  been  made  upon  him  by  half  a  dozen  ruf- 
fians one  night  in  the  streets  of  Athens,  and  in  his  private 
opinion  the  entire  extirpation  of  the  Greek  race  would  be  no 
loss  to  the  world  in  general. 

"I  am  very  sorry  you  have  to  leave  to-morrow  morning, " 
Mr.  Beveridge  said  presently.  "  I  should  have  been  very  glad 
if  you  could  have  stayed  with  us  for  a  few  days.  It  is  some 
years  since  I  had  a  visitor  here,  and  I  can  assure  you  that  I  am 
surprised  at  the  pleasure  it  gives  me.  However,  I  hope  that 
whenever  you  happen  to  be  at  Exmouth  you  will  run  over  and 
see  us,  and  if  at  any  time  I  can  be  of  the  slightest  service  to 
you  I  shall  be  really  pleased." 

The  next  morning  William  Martyn,  still  refusing  the  offer 
of  a  conveyance,  walked  across  the  hills  to  meet  the  coach, 
and  as  soon  as  he  had  started  Horace  went  down  to  the  yacht. 
Marco  had  gone  down  into  the  village  early,  had  seen  Tom 
Burdett,  and  in  his  master's  name  arranged  for  him  to  take 
charge  of  the  Surf,  and  to  engage  a  lad  to  sail  with  him. 
When  Horace  reached  the  wharf  Tom  was  already  on  board 
with  his  nephew,  Dick,  a  lad  of  seventeen  or  eighteen,  who 
at  once  brought  the  dinghy  ashore  at  Horace's  hail. 

"Well,  Dick,  so  you  are  going  with  us?" 

"Ay,  Master  Horace,  I  am  shipped  as  crew.  She  be  a 
beauty.  That  cabin  is  a  wonderful  lot  better  than  the  fo'castle 
of  a  fishing-lugger.  She  is  something  like  a  craft  to  go  a 
sailing  in." 

"Good  morning,  Tom  Burdett,"  Horace  said  as  the  boat 
came  alongside  the  yacht;  "or  I  ought  to  say  Captain  Bur- 
dett." 

"No,  no,"  the  sailor  laughed;  "I  have  been  too  long 
aboard  big  craft  to  go  a  captaining.  I  don't  so  much  mind 
being  called  a  skipper,  cos  a  master  of  any  sort  of  craft  may 
be   called   skipper;   but   1  ain't  going   to  be  called  captain. 


42  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

Now,  Dick,  run  that  flag  up  to  the  mast-head.  That  is  yacht- 
ing fashion,  you  know,  Master  Horace,  to  run  the  burgee  up 
when  the  owner  comes  on  board.  We  ain't  got  a  burgee, 
seeing  as  we  don't  belong  to  a  yacht-club;  but  the  flag  with 
the  name  does  service  for  it  at  present." 

"But  I  am  not  the  owner,  Tom,  that  is  nonsense.  My 
father  got  it  to  please  me,  and  very  good  of  him  it  was;  but 
it  is  nonsense  to  call  the  boat  mine." 

"Them's  the  orders  I  got  from  your  Greek  chap  down 
below,  Mr.  Horace.  Says  he,  'Master  says  as  how  Mr!  Hor- 
ace is  to  be  regarded  as  owner  of  this  'ere  craft  whenever  he 
is  aboard;  '  so  there  you  are,  you  see.  There  ain't  nothing  to 
be  said  against  that." 

"Well,  it  is  very  jolly,  isn't  it,  Tom?" 

"  It  suits  me  first-rate,  sir.  I  feel  for  all  the  world  as  if  we 
had  just  captured  a  little  prize,  and  they  had  put  a  young 
midshipmite  in  command  and  sent  me  along  with  him  just  to 
keep  him  straight;  that  is  how  I  feel  about  it." 

"What  sort  of  weather  do  you  think  we  are  going  to  have 
to-day,  Tom?  " 

"  I  think  the  wind  is  going  to  shift,  sir,  and  perhaps  there 
will  be  more  of  it.  It  has  gone  round  four  points  to  the  east 
since  I  turned  out  before  sunrise." 

"And  where  do  you  think  we  had  better  go  to-day,  Tom?  " 

"Well,  as  the  wind  is  now  it  would  be  first-rate  for  a  run  to 
Dartmouth." 

"Yes,  but  we  should  have  a  dead-beat  back,  Tom;  we 
should  never  get  back  before  dark." 

"  No  sir,  but  that  Greek  chap  tells  me  as  your  father  said 
as  how  there  were  no  occasion  to  be  back  to-night,  if  so  be  as 
you  liked  to  make  a  cruise  of  it." 

"Did  he  say  that?  That  is  capital.  Then  let  us  go  to 
Dartmouth;  to-morrow  we  can  start  as  early  as  we  like  so  as 
to  get  back  here." 

"I  don't  reckon  we  shall  have  to  beat  back.  According  to 
my  notion  the  wind  will  be  somewhere  round  to  the  south  by 


A   YACHT  43 

to-morrow  morning;  that  will  suit  us  nicely.     Now  then,  sir, 
we  will  see  about  getting  sail  on  her." 

As  soon  as  they  began  to  throw  the  sail-covers  off,  Marco 
came  on  deck  and  lent  a  hand,  and  in  the  course  of  three 
minutes  the  sails  were  up,  the  mooring  slipped,  and  the  Surf 
was  gliding  past  the  end  of  the  jetty. 

"That  was  done  in  pretty  good  style,  sir,"  Tom  Burdett 
said  as  he  took  up  his  station  by  the  side  of  Horace,  who  was 
at  the  tiller.  "  I  reckon  when  we  have  had  a  week's  practice 
together  we  shall  get  up  sail  as  smartly  as  a  man-of-war  cap- 
tain would  want  to  see.  I  do  like  to  see  things  done  smart  if 
it  is  only  on  a  little  craft  like  this,  and  with  three  of  us  we 
ought  to  get  all  her  lower  sail  on  her  in  no  time.  That  Greek 
chap  knows  what  he  is  about.  Of  course  he  has  often  been 
out  with  you  in  the  fishing-boats,  but  there  has  never  been  any 
call  for  him  to  lend  a  hand  there,  and  I  was  quite  surprised 
just  now  when  he  turned  to  at  it.  I  only  reckoned  on  Dick 
and  myself,  and  put  the  Greek  down  as  steward  and  cook." 

"  He  used  to  work  in  a  fishing-boat  when  he  was  a  boy, 
Tom." 

"Ah,  that  accounts  for  it!  They  are  smart  sailors,  some  of 
them  Greeks,  in  their  own  craft,  though  I  never  reckoned  they 
were  any  good  in  a  square-rigged  ship;  but  in  those  feluccas 
of  theirs  they  ain't  easy  to  be  beaten  in  anything  like  fine 
weather.  But  they  ain't  dependable,  none  of  those  Medi- 
terranean chaps  are,  whether  they  are  Greeks  or  Italians  or 
Spaniards,  when  it  comes  on  to  blow  really  hard,  and  there 
is  land  under  your  lee,  and  no  port  to  run  to.  ^Yhen  it  comes 
to  a  squeak  like  that  they  lose  their  nerve  and  begin  to  pray 
to  the  saints,  and  wring  their  hands,  and  jabber  like  a  lot  of 
children.  They  don't  seem  to  have  no  sort  of  backbone  about 
them.  But  in  fine  weather  I  allow  they  handle  their  craft  as 
well  as  they  could  be  handled.  Mind  your  helm,  sir;  you 
must  always  keep  your  attention  to  that,  no  matter  what  is 
being  said." 

"Are  you  going  to  get  up  the  topsail,  Tom?  " 


44  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

"Not  at  present,  sir;  with  this  wind  there  will  be  more  sea 
on  as  we  get  further  out,  and  I  don't  know  the  craft  yet;  I 
want  to  see  what  her  ways  are  afore  we  try  her.  She  looks  to 
me  as  if  she  would  be  stiff  under  canvas;  but  running  as  we 
are  we  can't  judge  much  about  that,  and  you  have  always  got 
to  be  careful  with  these  light-draft  craft.  When  we  get  to 
know  her  we  shall  be  able  to  calculate  what  she  will  carry  in 
all  weathers:  but  there  is  no  hurry  about  that.  I  have  seen 
spars  carried  away  afore  now,  from  young  commanders  crack- 
ing on  sail  on  craft  they  knew  nothing  about.  This  boat  can 
run,  there  is  no  mistake  about  that.  Look  at  that  fishing-boat 
ahead  of  us;  that  is  Jasper  Hill's  Kitty ;  she  went  out  ten 
minutes  afore  you  came  down.  We  are  overhauling  her  hand 
over  hand,  and  she  is  reckoned  one  of  the  fastest  craft  in  Sea- 
port. But  then,  this  craft  is  bound  to  run  fast  with  her  fine 
lines  and  shallow  draft;  we  must  wait  to  see  how  she  will  do 
when  there  is  lots  of  wind." 

In  a  couple  of  hours  Horace  was  glad  to  hand  over  the  tiller 
to  the  skipper  as  the  sea  had  got  up  a  good  deal,  and  the 
Surf  yawed  so  much  before  the  following  waves  that  it  needed 
more  skill  than  he  possessed  to  keep  her  straight. 

"Fetch  the  compass  up,  Dick,"  the  skipper  said;  "we  are 
dropping  the  land  fast.  Now  get  the  mizzen  off  her,  she  will 
steer  easier  without  it,  and  it  isn't  doing  her  much  good.  Do 
you  begin  to  feel  queer  at  all,  Mr.  Horace?" 

"Not  a  bit,"  the  boy  laughed.  "Why,  you  don't  suppose, 
after  rolling  about  in  those  fishing-boats  when  they  are  hang- 
ing to  their  nets,  that  one  would  feel  this  easy  motion." 

"No;  you  would  think  not,  but  it  don't  always  follow.  I 
have  seen  a  man,  who  had  been  accustomed  to  knock  about 
all  his  life  in  small  craft,  as  sick  as  a  dog  on  board  a  frigate, 
and  I  have  seen  the  first  lieutenant  of  a  man-of-war  knocked 
right  over  while  lying  off  a  bar  on  boat  service.  One  gets 
accustomed  to  one  sort  of  motion,  and  when  you  get  another 
quite  different  it  seems  to  take  your  innards  all  aback." 

The  run  to  Dartmouth  was  quickly  made,  and  to  Horace's 
delight  they  passed  several  large  ships  on  their  way. 


A   YACHT  45 

"Yes,  she  is  going  well,"  Tom  Burdett  said  when  he 
expressed  his  satisfaction;  "but  if  the  wind  was  to  get  up  a 
bit  more  it  would  be  just  the  other  way.  We  have  got  quite 
as  much  as  we  want,  while  they  could  stand  a  good  bit  more. 
A  small  craft  will  generally  hold  her  own  in  a  light  wind, 
because  why,  she  carries  more  sail  in  proportion  to  her  ton- 
nage. When  the  big  ship  has  got  as  much  as  she  can  do  with, 
the  little  one  has  to  reef  down  and  half  her  sails  are  taken  off 
her.  Another  thing  is,  the  waves  knock  the  way  out  of  a  small 
craft,  while  the  weight  of  a  big  one  takes  her  through  them 
without  feeling  it.  Still  I  don't  say  the  boat  ain't  doing  well, 
for  she  is  first-rate,  and  we  shall  make  a  very  quick  passage  to 
port." 

Running  up  the  pretty  river,  they  rounded  to,  head  to  wind, 
dropped  the  anchor  a  short  distance  from  a  ship  of  war,  and 
lowered  and  stowed  their  sails  smartly.  Then  Horace  went 
below  to  dinner.  It  had  been  ready  for  some  little  time,  but 
he  had  not  liked  leaving  the  deck,  for  rolling,  as  she  some- 
times did,  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  eat  comfortably. 
As  soon  as  he  dined,  the  others  took  their  meal  in  the  fo'- 
castle,  Marco  having  insisted  on  waiting  on  him  while  at  his 
dinner.  When  they  had  finished,  Marco  and  Dick  rowed 
Horace  ashore.  The  lad  took  the  boat  back  to  the  yacht, 
while  the  other  two  strolled  about  the  town  for  a  couple  of 
hours,  and  then  went  off  again. 

The  next  day  the  Surf  fully  satisfied  her  skipper  as  to  her 
weatherly  qualities.  The  wind  was,  as  he  had  predicted, 
nearly  south-east,  and  there  was  a  good  deal  of  sea  on. 
Before  getting  up  anchor,  the  topmast  was  lowered,  two  reefs 
put  in  the  main-sail  and  one  in  the  mizzen,  and  a  small  jib 
substituted  for  that  carried  on  the  previous  day.  Showers  of 
spray  fell  on  the  deck  as  they  put  out  from  the  mouth  of  the 
river;  but  once  fairly  away  she  took  the  waves  easily,  and 
though  sometimes  a  few  buckets  of  water  tumbled  over  her 
bows  and  swashed  along  the  lee  channels,  nothing  like  a  green 
sea  came  on  board.     Tom  Burdett  was  delighted  with  her. 


46  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

"She  is  a  beauty  and  no  mistake,"  he  said  enthusiastically. 
"There  is  many  a  big  ship  will  be  making  bad  weather  of  it 
to-day;  she  goes  over  it  like  a  duck.  After  this,  Mr.  Horace, 
I  sha'n't  mind  what  weather  I  am  out  in  her.  I  would  not 
have  believed  a  craft  her  size  would  have  behaved  so  well  in  a 
tumble  like  this.  You  see  this  is  more  trying  for  her  than  a 
big  sea  would  be.  She  would  take  it  easier  if  the  waves  were 
longer,  and  she  had  more  time  to  take  them  one  after  the 
other.  That  is  why  you  hear  of  boats  living  in  a  sea  that  has 
beaten  the  life  out  of  a  ship.  A  long  craft  does  not  feel  a 
short  choppy  sea  that  a  small  one  would  be  putting  her  head 
into  every  wave;  but  in  a  long  sea  the  little  one  has  the  advan- 
tage.    What  do  you  think  of  her,  sir?  " 

"She  seems  to  me  to  heel  over  a  long  way,  Tom." 

"Yes,  she  is  well  over;  but  you  see,  even  in  the  puffs  she 
doesn't  go  any  further.  Every  vessel  has  got  what  you  may 
call  her  bearing.  It  mayn't  take  much  to  get  her  over  to  that; 
but  when  she  is  there  it  takes  a  wonderful  lot  to  bring  her  any 
further.  You  see  there  is  a  lot  of  sail  we  could  take  off  her 
yet,  if  the  wind  were  to  freshen.  We  could  get  in  another 
reef  in  the  main-sail,  and  stow  her  mizzen  and  foresail  alto- 
gether. She  would  stand  pretty  nigh  a  hurricane  with  that 
canvas." 

It  was  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  before  the  67/// entered 
the  harbour.  Horace  was  drenched  with  spray,  and  felt  almost 
worn  out  after  the  struggle  with  the  wind  and  waves;  when  he 
landed  his  knees  were  strangely  weak,  but  he  felt  an  immense 
satisfaction  with  the  trip,  and  believed  implicitly  Tom  Bur- 
dett's  assertion  that  the  yacht  could  stand  any  weather. 


THE    WRECK  47 


CHAPTER   III 

THE    WRECK 

THOSE  were  glorious  holidays  for  Horace  Beveridge.  He 
was  seldom  at  home;  sometimes  two  of  his  cousins,  the 
Hendons,  accompanied  him  in  his  trips,  and  they  were  away 
for  three  or  four  days  at  a  time.  Three  times  Mr.  Beveridge 
with  Zaimes  went  out  for  a  day's  sail,  and  Horace  was  pleased 
to  see  that  his  father  really  enjoyed  it,  talking  but  little,  but 
sitting  among  some  cushions  Zaimes  arranged  for  him  astern, 
and  basking  in  the  bright  sun  and  fresh  air.  That  he  did 
enjoy  it  was  evident  from  the  fact  that,  instead  of  having  the 
yacht  laid  up  at  the  end  of  the  holidays,  Mr.  Beveridge  de- 
cided to  keep  her  afloat,  and  retained  Tom  Burdett's  services 
permanently. 

"Do  you  think,  Tom,  we  shall  get  any  sailing  in  the  winter 
holidays?  " 

"  We  are  sure  to,  sir,  if  your  father  has  not  laid  her  up  by 
that  time.  There  are  plenty  of  days  on  this  coast  when  the 
sailing  is  as  pleasant  in  winter  as  it  is  in  summer.  The  har- 
bour is  a  safe  one  though  it  is  so  small,  and  I  don't  see  any 
reason  why  she  shouldn't  be  kept  afloat.  Of  course  we  shall 
have  to  put  a  stove  in  the  cabin  to  make  it  snug:  but  with 
that,  a  good  thick  pea-jacket,  warm  gloves,  and  high  boots, 
you  would  be  as  right  as  a  nail." 

And  so  at  Christmas  and  through  the  next  summer  holidavs 
Horace  enjoyed  almost  constant  sailing.  He  was  now  thor- 
oughly at  home  in  the  boat,  could  steer  without  the  super- 
vision of  the  skipper,  and  was  as  handy  with  the  ropes  as  Dick 
himself. 

"This  is  the  best  job  I  ever  fell  into,  Mr.  Horace,"  Tom 
liurdett  said  at  the  end  of  the  second  summer.  "Your  father 
pays  liberal,  and  as  fur  grub,  when  that  Greek  is  on  board  a 
post-captain  could  not  want  better.     It  is  wonderful  how  that 


48  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

chap  does  cook,  and  he  seems  downright  to  like  it.  Then  you 
see  I  have  got  a  first-rate  crew.  Dick  is  as  good  as  a  man 
now;  I  will  say  for  the  Greek,  he  is  a  good  sailor  as  well  as  a 
good  cook;  and  then  you  see  you  have  got  a  deal  bigger  and 
stronger  than  you  were  a  year  ago,  and  are  just  as  handy  either 
at  the  tiller  or  the  sheets  as  a  man  would  be,  so  we  are  regular 
strong-handed,  and  that  makes  a  wonderful  difference  in  the 
comfort  on  a  craft." 

That  summer  they  sailed  up  to  Portsmouth,  and  cruised  for 
a  week  inside  the  Isle  of  Wight,  and  as  Horace  had  one  of 
his  school-fellows  spending  the  holidays  with  him,  he  enjoyed 
himself  to  the  fullest  of  his  capacity.  During  the  holidays 
Horace  did  not  see  much  of  his  father,  who,  quite  content  that 
the  boy  was  enjoying  himself,  and  gaining  health  and  strength, 
went  on  in  his  own  way,  and  only  once  went  out  with  him 
during  his  stay  at  home,  although,  as  Marco  told  him,  he 
generally  went  out  once  a  week  at  other  times. 

The  first  morning  after  his  return,  at  the  following  Christ- 
mas, Horace  did  not  as  usual  get  up  as  soon  as  it  was  light. 
The  rattle  of  the  window  and  the  howl  of  the  wind  outside 
sufficed  to  tell  him  that  there  would  be  no  sailing  that  day. 
Eeing  in  no  hurry  to  move,  he  sat  over  breakfast  longer  than 
usual,  talking  to  Zaimes  of  what  had  happened  at  home  and 
in  the  village  since  he  last  went  away.  His  father  was  absent, 
having  gone  up  to  town  a  week  before,  and  Horace  had,  on 
his  arrival,  found  a  letter  from  him,  saying  that  he  was  sorry 
not  to  be  there  for  his  return,  but  that  he  found  he  could  not 
get  through  the  work  on  which  he  was  engaged  for  another  two 
days;  he  should,  however,  be  down  at  any  rate  by  Christmas- 
eve. 

After  breakfast  Horace  went  out  and  looked  over  the  sea. 
The  wind  was  almost  dead  on  shore,  blowing  in  such  violent 
gusts  that  he  could  scarce  keep  his  feet.  The  sky  was  a  dull 
lead  colour,  the  low  clouds  hurrying  past  overhead.  The  sea 
was  covered  with  white  breakers,  and  the  roar  of  the  surf,  as 
it  broke  on  the  shore,  could  be  heard  even  above  the  noise  of 


THE    WRECK  4C 

the  wind.  Putting  on  his  pea-jacket  and  high  boots,  he  went 
down  to  the  port.  As  it  had  been  specially  constructed  as  a 
shelter  against  south-westerly  winds,  with  the  western  pier 
overlapping  the  other,  the  sea  did  not  make  a  direct  sweep 
into  it;  but  the  craft  inside  were  all  rolling  heavily  in  the  swell. 

"  How  are  you,  Tom?     It  is  a  wild  day,  isn't  it?  " 

"  Don't  want  to  see  a  worse,  sir.  Glad  to  see  you  back 
again,  Mr.  Horace.     Quite  well,  I  hope?" 

"  First-rate,  Tom.  It  is  a  nuisance  this  gale  the  first  day  of 
coming  home.  I  have  been  looking  forward  to  a  sail.  I  am 
afraid  there  is  no  chance  of  one  to-day?" 

"  Well,  sir,  I  should  say  they  would  take  us  and  send  us  all 
to  the  loonatic  asylum  at  Exeter  if  they  saw  us  getting  ready 
to  go  out.  Just  look  at  the  sea  coming  over  the  west  pier.  It 
has  carried  away  a  bit  of  that  stone  wall  at  the  end." 

"Yes.  I  didn't  really  think  of  going  out,  Tom,  though  I 
suppose  if  we  had  been  caught  out  in  it  we  should  have  man- 
aged somehow." 

"We  should  have  done  our  best,  in  course,"  the  sailor 
said,  "  and  I  have  that  belief  in  the  boat  that  I  think  she 
might  weather  it;  but  I  would  not  take  six  months'  pay  to  be 
out  a  quarter  of  an  hour." 

"  What  would  you  do,  Tom,  if  you  were  caught  in  a  gale  like 
this?" 

"  If  there  weren't  land  under  our  lee  I  should  lay  to,  sir, 
under  the  storm- jib  and  a  try-sail.  Maybe  I  would  unship  the 
main-sail  with  the  boom  and  gaff,  get  the  top-mast  on  deck 
an<i  lash  that  to  them ;  then  make  a  bridle  with  a  strong  rope, 
launch  it  overboard,  lower  all  sail,  and  ride  to  that;  that 
would  keep  us  nearer  head  on  to  the  sea  than  we  could  lie 
under  any  sail.  That  is  what  they  call  a  floating  anchor.  I 
never  heard  of  a  ship  being  hove-to  that  way;  but  I  was  out 
on  boat  service  in  the  Indian  Ocean  when  we  were  caught  in 
a  heavy  blow,  and  the  lieutenant  who  was  in  charge  made  us 
lash  the  mast  and  sails  and  oars  together  and  heave  them 
overboard,  and  we  rode  to  them  right  through  the  gale.     We 


50  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

had  to  bale  a  bit  occasionally,  but  there  was  never  any  danger, 
and  I  don't  think  we  should  have  lived  through  it  any  other 
way.  I  made  a  note  of  it  at  the  time,  and  if  ever  I  am  caught 
in  the  same  way  again  that  is  what  I  shall  do,  and  what  would 
be  good  for  a  boat  would  be  good  for  a  craft  like  the  Su?f." 

This  conversation  was  carried  on  with  some  difficulty,  al- 
though they  were  standing  under  the  lee  of  the  wall  of  a  cottage. 

"She  rolls  about  heavily,  Tom." 

"  She  does  that,  sir.  It  is  lucky  we  have  got  our  moorings 
in  the  middle  of  the  harbour,  and  none  of  the  fishing-boats 
are  near  enough  to  interfere  with  her.  You  see  most  of  them 
have  got  their  sails  and  nets  rolled  up  as  fenders,  but  in  spite 
of  that  they  have  been  ripping  and  tearing  each  other  shock- 
ing. There  will  be  jobs  for  the  carpenter  for  some  time  to 
come.  Five  or  six  of  them  have  torn  away  their  bulwarks 
already." 

After  waiting  down  by  the  port  for  an  hour  Horace  returned 
to  the  house.  When  luncheon  was  over  he  was  just  about  to 
start  again  for  the  port,  when  Marco  said  to  him : 

"Dick  has  just  been  in,  sir.  There  is  going  to  be  a  wreck. 
There  are  a  lot  of  fishermen  gathered  on  the  cliff  half  a  mile 
away  to  the  right.  They  say  there  is  a  ship  that  will  come 
ashore  somewhere  along  there." 

"  Come  on,  then,  Marco.  Did  you  hear  whether  they 
thought  that  anything  could  be  done?  " 

"  I  did  not  hear  anything  about  it.  I  don't  think  they  know 
where  she  will  go  ashore  yet." 

In  a  few  minutes  they  reached  the  group  of  fishermen  stand- 
ing on  the  cliff.  It  was  a  headland  beyond  which  the  land 
fell  away,  forming  a  bay  some  three  miles  across.  A  large 
barque  was  to  be  seen  some  two  miles  off  shore.  She  was 
wallowing  heavily  in  the  seas,  and  each  wave  seemed  to  smother 
her  in  spray.  Tom  Burdettwas  among  the  group,  and  Horace 
went  up  to  him  at  once. 

"What's  to  prevent  her  from  beating  off,  Tom?  She  ought 
to  be  able  to  work  out  without  difficulty." 


THE   WRECK  Ol 

"So  she  would  at  ordinary  times,"  the  skipper  said;  "but 
she  is  evidently  a  heavy  sailer  and  deep  laden.  She  could  do 
it  now  if  they  could  put  more  sail  on  her,  but  I  expect  her 
canvas  is  all  old.  You  see  her  topsails  are  all  in  ribbons. 
Each  of  them  seas  heaves  her  bodily  to  leeward.  She  is  a 
doomed  ship,  sir,  there  ain't  no  sort  of  doubt  about  that;  the 
question  is,  Where  is  she  coming  ashore?" 

"Will  it  make  much  difference,  Tom?  " 

"Well,  it  might  make  a  difference  if  her  master  knew  the 
coast.  The  best  thing  he  could  do  would  be  to  get  her  round 
and  run  straight  in  for  this  point.  The  water  is  deeper  here 
than  it  is  in  the  bay,  and  she  would  get  nearer  ashore  before 
she  struck,  and  we  might  save  a  few  of  them  if  they  lashed 
themselves  to  spars  and  her  coops  and  such  like.  Deep  as 
she  is  she  would  strike  half  a  mile  out  if  she  went  straight  up 
the  bay.  The  tide  is  nearly  dead  low,  and  in  that  case  not  a 
man  will  get  ashore  through  that  line  of  breakers.  Then, 
again,  she  might  strike  near  Ram's  Head  over  there,  which  is 
like  enough  if  she  holds  on  as  she  is  doing  at  present.  The 
Head  runs  a  long  way  out  under  water,  and  it  is  shallower 
half  a  mile  out  than  it  is  nearer  the  point.  There  is  a  clump 
of  rocks  there." 

"I  don't  remember  anything  about  them,  Tom,  and  we 
have  sailed  along  there  a  score  of  times." 

"No,  sir,  we  don't  take  no  account  of  them  in  small  craft, 
and  there  is  a  fathom  and  a  half  of  water  over  them  even  in 
spring-tides.  Springs  are  on  now,  and  there  ain't  much  above 
nine  foot  just  now;  and  that  craft  draws  two  fathom  and  a 
half  or  thereabouts,  over  twelve  foot  anyhow.  But  it  don't 
make  much  difference;  wherever  she  strikes  she  will  go  to 
pieces  in  this  sea  in  a  few  minutes." 

"Surely  there  is  something  to  be  done,  Tom?  " 

"Some  of  us  are  just  going  down  to  get  ropes  and  go  along 
the  shore,  Mr.  Horace;  but  Lor'  bless  you,  one  just  does  it  for 
the  sake  of  doing  something.  One  knows  well  enough  that  it 
ain't  likely  we  shall  get  a  chance  of  saving  a  soul." 


52  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

" But  couldn't  some  of  the  boats  go  out,  Tom?  There  would 
be  plenty  of  water  for  them  where  she  strikes." 

"The  fishermen  have  been  talking  about  it,  sir;  but  they 
are  all  of  one  opinion;  the  sea  is  altogether  too  heavy  for 
them." 

"But  the  Surf  could  go,  couldn't  she,  Tom?  You  have 
always  said  she  could  stand  any  sea." 

"  Any  reasonable  sort  of  sea,  Mr.  Horace,  but  this  is  a  down- 
right onreasonable  sort  of  sea  for  a  craft  of  her  size,  and  it  is 
a  deal  worse  near  shore  where  the  water  begins  to  shallow  than 
it  would  be  out  in  the  channel." 

But  though  Tom  Burdett  spoke  strongly,  Horace  noticed 
that  his  tone  was  not  so  decided  as  when  he  said  that  the  fish- 
ing-boats could  not  go  out. 

"  Look  here,  Tom,"  he  said,  "  I  suppose  there  must  be  thirty 
hands  on  board  that  ship.  We  can't  see  them  drowned 
without  making  a  try  to  save  them.  We  have  got  the  best 
boat  here  on  the  coast.  We  have  been  out  in  some  bad 
weather  in  her,  and  she  has  always  behaved  splendidly.  I 
vote  we  try.  She  can  fetch  out  between  the  piers  all  right 
from  where  she  is  moored;  and  if,  when  we  get  fairly  out,  we 
find  it  is  altogether  too  much  for  her,  we  could  put  back 
again." 

Tom  made  no  answer.  He  was  standing  looking  at  the  ship. 
He  had  been  already  turning  it  over  in  his  mind  whether  it 
would  not  be  possible  for  the  Surf  to  put  out.  He  had  him- 
self an  immense  faith  in  her  sea-going  qualities,  and  believed 
that  she  might  be  able  to  stand  even  this  sea. 

"But  you  wouldn't  be  thinking  of  going  in  her,  Mr. 
Horace?"  he  said  doubtfully  at  last. 

"Of  course  I  should,"  the  lad  said  indignantly.  "You 
don't  suppose  that  I  would  let  the  Surf  go  out  if  I  were  afraid 
to  go  in  her  myself." 

"  Your  father  would  never  agree  to  that  if  he  were  at  home, 
sir." 

"Yes,   he  would,"  Horace  said.      "I  am  sure  my  father 


HORACE    SUGGESTS    A    RESCUE 


THE   WRECK  DO 

would  say  that  if  the  Surf  went  out  I  ought  to  go  in  her,  and 
that  it  would  be  cowardly  to  let  other  people  do  what  one  is 
afraid  to  do  one's  self.  Besides,  I  can  swim  better  than  either 
you  or  Dick,  and  should  have  more  chance  of  getting  ashore 
if  she  went  down;  but  I  don't  think  she  would  go  down.  I 
am  nearly  sixteen  now;  and  as  my  father  isn't  here  I  shall 
have  my  own  way.  If  you  say  that  you  think  there  is  no 
chance  of  the  Surf  getting  out  to  her  there  is  an  end  of  it; 
but  if  you  say  that  you  think  she  could  live  through  it,  we 
will  go." 

"I  think  she  might  do  it,  Mr.  Horace;  I  have  been  a  say- 
ing so  to  the  others.  They  all  say  that  it  would  be  just  mad- 
ness, but  then  they  don't  know  the  craft  as  I  do." 

"Well,  look  here,  Tom,  I  will  put  it  this  way:  if  the  storm 
had  been  yesterday,  and  my  father  and  I  had  both  been  away, 
wouldn't  you  have  taken  her  out?  " 

"  Well,  sir,  I  should;  I  can't  say  the  contrary.  I  have  always 
said  that  the  boat  could  go  anywhere,  and  I  believe  she  could, 
and  I  ain't  going  to  back  down  now  from  my  opinion;  but  I 
say  as  it  ain't  right  for  you  to  go." 

"That  is  my  business,"  Horace  said.  "Marco,  I  am  going 
out  in  the  Surf  to  try  to  save  some  of  the  men  on  board  that 
ship.     Are  you  disposed  to  come  too?  " 

"I  will  go  if  you  go,"  the  Greek  said  slowly;  "but  I  don't 
know  what  your  father  would  say." 

"  He  would  say,  if  there  was  a  chance  of  saving  life  it  ought 
to  be  tried,  Marco.  Of  course  there  is  some  danger  in  it, 
but  Tom  thinks  she  can  do  it,  and  so  do  I.  We  can't  stand 
here  and  see  thirty  men  drowned  without  making  an  effort 
to  save  them.      I  have  quite  made  up  my  mind  to  go." 

"Very  well,  sir,  then  I  will  go." 

Horace  went  back  to  Tom  Burdett,  who  was  talking  with 
Dick  apart  from  the  rest. 

"We  will  take  a  couple  of  extra  hands  if  we  can  get  them," 
the  skipper  said.     "We  shall  want  to  be  strong-handed." 

He  went  to  the  group  of  fishermen  and  said : 


54  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

"We  are  going  out  in  the  Surf to  see  if  we  can  lend  a  hand 
to  bring  some  of  those  poor  fellows  ashore.  Young  Mr. 
Beveridge  is  coming,  but  we  want  a  couple  more  hands.  Who 
will  go  with  us?  " 

There  was  silence  for  a  minute,  and  then  a  young  fisherman 
said: 

"  I  will  go,  Tom.  My  brother  Nat  is  big  enough  to  take 
my  place  in  the  boat  if  I  don't  come  back  again.  I  am  will- 
ing to  try  it  with  you,  though  I  doubt  if  the  yacht  will  get 
twice  her  own  length  beyond  the  pier." 

"And  I  will  go  with  you,  Tom,"  an  older  man  said.  "If 
my  son  Dick  is  going,  I  don't  see  why  I  should  hang  back." 

"That  will  do,  then,  that  makes  up  our  crew.  Now  we  had 
best  be  starting  at  once.  That  barque  will  be  ashore  in  another 
hour,  and  she  will  go  to  pieces  pretty  near  as  soon  as  she 
strikes.  So  if  we  are  going  to  do  anything,  there  ain't  no 
time  to  be  lost.  The  rest  of  you  had  better  go  along  with 
stout  ropes  as  you  was  talking  of  just  now;  that  will  give  us  a 
bit  of  a  chance  if  things  go  wrong." 

The  six  hurried  along  the  cliff  and  then  down  to  the  port, 
followed  by  the  whole  of  the  fishermen.  A  couple  of  trips 
with  the  dinghy  took  them  on  board. 

"Now,  then,"  Tom  Burdett  said  to  Dick's  father,  "we  will 
get  the  fore-sail  out  and  rig  it  as  a  try-sail.  Dick,  you  cut  the 
lashings  and  get  the  main-sail  off  the  hoops.  We  will  leave  it 
and  the  spars  here;  do  you  lend  him  a  hand,  Jack  Thomp- 
son." 

In  five  minutes  the  main-sail  with  its  boom  and  gaff  was 
taken  off  the  mast  and  tied  together.  A  rope  was  attached  to 
them  and  the  end  flung  ashore,  where  they  were  at  once  hauled 
in  by  the  fishermen,  who  crowded  the  wharf,  every  soul  in  the 
village  having  come  down  at  the  news  that  the  Surf  was  going 
out.  By  this  time  holes  had  been  made  along  the  leach  of 
the  sail,  and  by  these  it  was  lashed  to  the  mast-hoops.  The 
top-mast  was  sent  down  to  the  deck,  launched  overboard,  and 
hauled  ashore;  the  mizzen  was  closely  reefed,  but  not  hoisted. 


THE    WRECK  55 

"We  will  see  how  she  does  without  it,"  Tom  said;  "she 
may  like  it  and  she  may  not.  Now,  up  with  the  try-sail  and 
jib,  and  stand  by  to  cast  off  the  moorings  as  she  gets  weigh 
on  her;  I  will  take  the  tiller.  Marco,  do  you  and  Mr.  Hor- 
ace stand  by  the  mizzen-halliards  ready  to  hoist  if  I  tell  you." 

As  the  Surf  began  to  move  through  the  water  a  loud  cheer 
broke  from  the  crowd  on  shore,  followed  by  a  dead  silence. 
She  moved  but  slowly  as  she  was  under  the  lee  of  the  west 
pier. 

"  Ben,  do  you  and  the  other  two  kick  out  the  lower  plank  of 
the  bulwark,"  Tom  Burdett  said;  "we  shall  want  to  get  rid  of 
the  water  as  fast  as  it  comes  on  board." 

The  three  men  with  their  heavy  sea-boots  knocked  out  the 
piank  with  a  few  kicks. 

"Now,  the  one  on  the  other  side,"  Tom  said;  and  this  was 
done  just  as  they  reached  the  entrance  between  the  piers. 
She  was  gathering  way  fast  now. 

"Ease  off  that  jib-sheet,  Dick,"  the  skipper  cried.  "Stand 
by  to  haul  it  in  as  soon  as  the  wind  catches  the  try-sail." 

Tom  put  down  the  helm  as  he  reached  the  end  of  the  pier, 
but  a  great  wave  caught  her  head  and  swept  her  half  round. 
A  moment  later  the  wind  in  its  full  force  struck  the  try-sail 
and  she  heeled  far  over  with  the  blow. 

"Up  with  the  mizzen!"  Tom  shouted.  "Give  her  more 
sheet,  Dick  !  "  As  the  mizzen  drew,  its  action  and  that  of  the 
helm  told,  and  the  Surf  swept  up  into  the  wind.  "  Haul  in 
the  jib-sheet,  Dick.  That  is  enough;  make  it  fast.  Ease  off 
the  mizzen-sheet  a  little,  Marco!  That  will  do.  Now  lash 
yourselves  with  lines  to  the  bulwark." 

For  the  first  minute  or  two  it  seemed  to  Horace  that  the 
Surf,  good  boat  as  she  was,  could  not  live  through  those  tre- 
mendous waves,  each  of  which  seemed  as  if  it  must  overwhelm 
her;  but  although  the  water  poured  in  torrents  across  her  deck 
it  went  off  as  quickly  through  the  hole  in  the  lee  bulwark,  and 
but  little  came  over  her  bow. 

"She  will  do,   sir!"  Tom,  close  to  whom  he  harl   lashed 


56  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

himself,  shouted.  "  It  will  be  better  when  we  get  a  bit  farther 
out.  She  is  a  beauty,  she  is,  and  she  answers  to  her  helm 
well." 

Gradually  the  Surf  drew  out  from  the  shore. 

"  Are  you  going  to  come  about,  Tom?  " 

"Not  yet,  sir;  we  must  get  more  sea-room  before  we  try. 
Like  enough  she  may  miss  stays  in  this  sea.  If  she  does  we 
must  wear  her  round." 

"Now  we  will  try,"  he  said  five  minutes  later.  "Get  those 
lashings  off.  Mr.  Horace,  you  will  have  to  go  up  to  the  other 
side  when  she  is  round.  Get  ready  to  go  about!  "  he  shouted. 
"  I  will  put  the  helm  down  at  the  first  lull.     Now !  " 

The  Surf  came  round  like  a  top,  and  had  gathered  way  on 
the  other  tack  before  the  next  big  wave  struck  her. 

"Well  done!"  Tom  Burdett  shouted  joyously,  and  the 
others  echoed  the  shout.  In  ten  minutes  they  were  far  enough 
out  to  get  a  sight  of  the  ship  as  they  rose  on  the  waves. 

"Just  as  I  thought,"  Ben  muttered;  "he  thinks  he  will 
weather  Ram's  Head,  and  he  will  go  ashore  somewhere  on 
that  reef  of  rocks  to  a  certainty." 

In  another  five  minutes  the  course  was  again  changed,  and 
the  Suff  bore  directly  for  the  barque.  In  spite  of  the  small 
sail  she  carried  the  water  was  two  feet  up  the  lee  planks  of 
her  deck,  and  she  was  deluged  every  time  by  the  seas,  which 
struck  her  now  almost  abeam.  But  everything  was  battened 
down,  and  they  heeded  the  water  but  little. 

"What  do  you  think  of  her  now?"  Tom  shouted  to  his 
brother-in-law.  "  Didn't  I  tell  you  she  would  stand  a  sea 
when  your  fishing-boats  dare  not  show  their  noses  out  of  the 
port?  " 

"She  is  a  good  'un  and  no  mistake,  Tom.  I  did  not  think 
a  craft  her  size  could  have  lived  in  such  a  sea  as  this.  You 
may  brag  about  her  as  you  like  in  future,  and  there  ain't  a 
man  in  Seaport  as  will  contradict  you." 

They  were  going  through  the  water  four  feet  to  the  barque's 
one,  and  they  were  but  a  quarter  of  a  mile  astern  of  her  when 


THE    WRECK  oT 

Horace  exclaimed,  "She  has  struck!"  and  at  the  same  mo- 
ment her  main  and  foremast  went  over  the  side. 

"She  is  just  about  on  the  shallowest  point  of  the  reef,"  Ben 
Harper  said.  "Now,  how  are  you  going  to  manage  this  job, 
Tom?  " 

"There  is  only  one  way  to  do  it,"  the  skipper  said.  "There 
is  water  enough  for  us  Tide  has  flowed  an  hour  and  a  half, 
and  there  must  be  two  fathoms  where  she  is  lying.  We  must 
run  up  under  her  lee  close  enough  to  chuck  a  rope  on  board. 
Get  a  light  rope  bent  on  to  the  hawser.  They  must  pull  that 
on  board,  and  we  will  hang  to  it  as  near  as  we  dare." 

"  You  must  go  near  her  stern,  Tom,  or  we  shall  get  stove  in 
with  the  masts  and  spars." 

"Yes,  it  is  lucky  the  mizzen  is  standing,  else  we  could  not 
have  gone  alongside  till  they  got  rid  of  them  all,  and  they 
would  never  do  that  afore  she  broke  up." 

Horace,  as  he  watched  the  ship,  expected  to  see  her  go  to 
pieces  every  moment.  Each  wave  struck  her  with  tremendous 
force,  sending  cataracts  of  water  over  her  weather  gunwale 
and  across  her  deck.  Many  of  the  seas  broke  before  they 
reached  her,  and  the  line  of  the  reef  could  be  traced  far 
beyond  her  by  the  white  and  broken  water. 

"Now,  then,"  the  skipper  shouted,  "I  shall  keep  the  Surf 
about  twice  her  own  length  from  the  wreck,  and  then  put  the 
helm  hard  down  and  shoot  right  up  to  her." 

"That  will  be  the  safest  plan,  Tom.  There  are  two  men 
with  ropes  standing  ready  in  the  mizzen-shrouds." 

"I  shall  bring  her  in  a  little  beyond  that,  Ben,  if  the  wreck 
of  the  mainmast  isn't  in  the  way;  the  mizzen  may  come  out 
of  her  any  moment,  and  if  it  fell  on  our  decks  it  would  be 
good-bye  to  us  all." 

A  cheer  broke  from  the  men  huddled  up  under  shelter  of 
the  weather  bulwark  as  the  little  craft  swept  past  her  stern. 

"  Mind  the  wreck  \  "  a  voice  shouted. 

Tom  held  up  his  hand,  and  a  moment  later  put  the  helm 
down  hard.     The  Surf  swept  round  towards  the  ship,  and  her 


58  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

way  carried  her  on  until  the  end  of  the  bowsprit  was  but  five 
or  six  yards  distant.     Then  Tom  shouted: 

"Now  is  your  time,  Dick;  "  and  the  rope  was  thrown  right 
across  the  barque,  where  it  was  grasped  by  half  a  dozen  hands. 

"Haul  in  till  you  get  the  hawser,"  Dick  shouted;  "then 
make  it  fast."  At  the  same  moment  two  ropes  from  the  ship 
were  thrown,  and  caught  by  Marco  and  Ben.  Tom  left  the 
tiller  now  and  lowered  the  try-sail.  By  the  time  the  hawser 
was  fast  on  board,  the  Surf  had  drifted  twice  her  own  length 
from  the  ship.  "That  will  do,  Ben;  make  the  hawser  fast 
there."  Two  strong  hawsers  were  hauled  in  from  the  ship 
and  also  made  fast. 

"Now  you  can  come  as  soon  as  you  like,"  Tom  shouted. 
As  the  hawsers  were  fastened  to  the  weather-side  of  the  vessel, 
which  was  now  heeled  far  over,  it  was  a  sharp  incline  down  to 
the  deck  of  the  Surf,  and  the  crew,  throwing  their  arms  and 
legs  round  the  hawsers,  slid  down  without  difficulty,  the  press- 
ure of  the  wind  on  the  yacht  keeping  the  ropes  perfectly  taut. 
As  the  men  came  within  reach,  Tom  Burdett  and  Ben  seized 
them  by  the  collars  and  hauled  them  on  board. 

"Any  woman  on  board?  "  he  asked  the  first. 

"No,  we  have  no  passengers." 

"That  is  a  comfort.      How  many  of  a  crew?  " 

"There  were  thirty-three  all  told,  but  four  were  killed  by 
the  falling  mast,  and  three  were  washed  overboard  before  we 
struck,  so  there  are  twenty-six  now." 

In  five  minutes  from  the  ropes  being  thrown  the  captain, 
who  was  last  man,  was  on  board  the  yacht.  The  Surfs  own 
hawser  had  been  thrown  off  by  him  before  he  left,  drawn  in, 
and  coiled  down,  and  as  soon  as  he  was  safe  on  board  the 
other  two  hawsers  were  thrown  off. 

"  Haul  the  jib  a-weather,  Dick,"  Tom  Burdett  shouted  as  he 
took  the  helm  again.  "Slack  the  mizzen-sheet  off  altogether, 
Marco;  up  with  the  try-sail  again." 

For  a  short  distance  the  yacht  drifted  astern,  and  then,  as 
the  pressure  of  the  jib  began  to  make  itself  felt,  her  head 


THE    WRECK  59 

gradually  payed  off.  "Haul  in  the  try-sail  and  jib-sheets. 
Let  go  the  weather-sheet,  Dick,  and  haul  in  the  other.  That 
is  it,  now  she  begins  to  move  again." 

"You  are  only  just  in  time,"  the  captain  said  to  Tom; 
"she  was  just  beginning  to  part  in  the  middle  when  I  left. 
You  have  saved  all  our  lives,  and  I  thank  you  heartily." 

"This  is  the  owner  of  the  yacht,  sir,"  Tom  said,  motion- 
ing to  Horace.     "It  is  his  doing  that  we  came  out." 

"  Oh,  that  is  all  nonsense,  Tom !  You  would  have  come 
just  the  same  if  I  hadn't  been  there." 

"Well,  sir,  it  has  been  a  gallant  rescue,"  the  captain  said. 
"  I  could  hardly  believe  my  eyes  when  I  saw  your  sail  com- 
ing after  us,  and  I  expected  every  moment  to  see  it  disappear." 

"Now,  captain,"  Tom  said,  "make  all  your  men  sit  down 
as  close  as  they  can  pack  under  the  weather  bulwark;  we  ain't 
in  yet." 

It  was  an  anxious  time  as  they  struggled  through  the  heavy 
sea  on  the  way  back,  but  the  Surf  stood  it  bravely,  and  the 
weight  to  windward  enabled  her  to  stand  up  more  stiffly  to 
her  canvas.  When  they  were  abreast  of  the  port  half  the  men 
went  over  to  the  other  side,  the  helm  was  put  up,  and  she 
rushed  towards  the  shore  dead  before  the  wind.  The  extra 
weight  on  deck  told  on  her  now,  and  it  needed  the  most  care- 
ful steering  on  Tom's  part  to  keep  her  straight  before  the 
waves,  several  of  which  broke  over  her  taffrail  and  swept  along 
the  deck,  one  of  them  bursting  out  her  bulwarks  at  the  bow. 

"Get  ready  to  haul  in  the  sheets  smartly,"  Tom  shouted  as 
they  neared  the  pier. 

He  kept  her  course  close  to  the  pier-head,  and  as  the  Surf 
came  abreast  of  it  jammed  down  the  tiller,  while  Ben  and 
Dick  hauled  in  the  mizzen-sheet.  A  moment  later  she  was 
shooting  along  under  the  shelter  of  the  wall,  while  a  loud 
shout  of  welcome  rose  above  the  howling  of  the  wind  from 
those  on  shore. 

"  Now,  sir,  I  will  see  about  getting  her  moored,"  Tom  said, 
"if  you  will  run  down  and  get  some  rum  bottles  out  of  the 


60  IX    GREEK    WATERS 

locker;  I  am  pretty  well  frozen  and  these  poor  fellows  must 
be  nigh  perished,  but  it  would  never  have  done  to  open  the 
hatchway  in  that  sea." 

"Come  down,  men,"  Horace  cried,  as  he  dived  below. 
"We  had  no  time  to  light  the  fire  before  starting,  but  a  glass 
of  spirits  will  do  you  good  all  round." 

Two  or  three  of  the  fishermen  rowed  out  as  soon  as  the 
yacht  was  moored,  and  in  a  few  minutes  all  were  ashore. 

"Now  you  had  better  run  up  to  the  house  and  change,  Mr. 
Horace,"  Tom  Burdett  said.  "We  will  look  after  the  men 
here  and  get  them  some  dry  things,  and  put  them  up  amongst 
us.  We  have  done  a  big  thing,  sir,  and  the  Surf  has  been 
tried  as  I  hope  she  will  never  be  tried  again  as  long  as  we 
have  anything  to  do  with  her." 

"All  right,  Tom!  Will  you  come  up  with  me,  captain? 
There  is  no  one  at  home  but  myself,  and  we  will  manage  to 
rig  you  up  somehow." 

The  captain,  however,  declined  the  invitation,  saying  that 
he  would  rather  see  after  his  men  and  put  up  himself  at  the 
public-house  on  the  beach. 

"  I  will  come  up  later,  sir.  when  I  have  seen  everything  al] 
snug  here." 

Horace  had  some  difficulty  in  making  his  way  up  through 
the  crowd,  for  both  men  and  women  wished  to  shake  hands 
with  him.  At  last  he  got  through,  and,  followed  by  Marco, 
ran  up  through  the  village  to  the  house.  Zaimes  had  been 
among  the  crowd  assembled  to  see  the  Surf  re-enter  the  port; 
and  when  Horace  changed  his  things  and  came  down  stairs 
he  found  a  bowl  of  hot  soup  ready  for  him. 

"  You  have  given  me  a  nice  fright,  Mr.  Horace,"  the  Greek 
said  as  he  entered  the  room.  "  I  have  been  scolding  Marco, 
I  can  tell  you." 

"It  was  not  his  fault,  Zaimes.  I  made  up  my  mind  to  go, 
and  told  him  so,  and  he  had  the  choice  whether  he  would  go 
or  stay  behind,  and  he  went." 

"Of  course  he  went,"  Zaimes  said;  "but  he  ought  to  have 


THE    WRECK  61 

come  and  told  me.  Then  I  should  have  gone  too.  How 
could  I  have  met  your  father,  do  you  think,  if  you  had  been 
drowned?  " 

"  Well,  you  would  not  have  been  to  blame,  Zaimes,  as  you 
knew  nothing  about  it  until  after  we  had  started." 

"  No,  you  had  been  gone  half  an  hour  before  someone  from 
the  village  came  up  and  told  them  in  the  kitchen.  Then  one 
of  the  servants  brought  me  the  news,  and  I  ran  down  like  a 
madman,  without  even  stopping  to  get  a  hat.  Then  I  found 
that  most  of  the  men  had  gone  up  to  the  cliff  to  keep  you  in 
sight,  and  I  went  up  there  and  waited  with  them  until  you 
were  nearly  back  again.  Once  or  twice,  as  you  were  running 
in  to  the  pier,  I  thought  the  yacht  was  gone." 

"That  was  the  worst  bit,  Zaimes.  The  sea  came  tumbling 
over  her  stern,  and  I  was  washed  off  my  feet  two  or  three 
times.  I  almost  thought  that  she  was  going  down  head- 
foremost. Well,  I  am  glad  I  was  at  home  this  morning.  I 
would  not  have  missed  it  for  anything." 

"  No,  it  is  a  good  thing,  now  it  is  done,  and  something  to 
be  proud  of.  I  am  told  very  few  of  the  fishermen  thought 
that  you  would  ever  come  back  again." 

"They  didn't  know  the  boat  as  we  did,  Zaimes.  I  felt  sure 
she  would  go  through  anything;  and,  besides,  Tom  kicked 
out  the  lower  plank  of  the  bulwarks  on  each  side,  so  as  to  help 
her  to  free  herself  from  water  as  it  came  on  board,  and  flush- 
decked  as  she  is,  there  was  nothing  to  carry  away;  but  she 
hasn't  taken  a  cupful  of  water  down  below." 

In  the  evening  the  captain  of  the  barque  came  up,  and 
Horace  learned  from  him  that  she  was  on  her  way  from  New 
Orleans  laden  with  cotton. 

"The  ship  and  cargo  are  insured,"  the  captain  said;  "and, 
as  far  as  that  goes,  it  is  a  good  thing  she  is  knocked  into 
match-wood.  She  was  a  dull  sailer  at  the  best  of  times,  and 
when  laden  you  could  not  get  her  to  lay  anywhere  near  the 
wind.  She  would  have  done  better  than  she  did,  though, 
hadn't  her  rudder  got  damaged  somehow  in  the  night.     She 


62  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

ought  to  have  clawed  off  the  shore  easy  enough;  but,  as  you 
saw,  she  sagged  to  leeward  a  foot  for  every  foot  she  went  for- 
'ard.  I  was  part-owner  in  her,  and  I  am  not  sorry  she  has 
gone.  We  tried  to  sell  her  last  year,  but  they  have  been  sell- 
ing so  many  ships  out  of  the  navy  that  we  could  not  get  any- 
thing of  a  price  for  her;  but  as  she  was  well  insured,  I  shall 
get  a  handier  craft  next  time.  I  was  well  off  shore  when  the 
storm  began  to  get  heavy  last  night,  and  felt  no  anxiety  about 
our  position  till  the  rudder  went  wrong.  But  when  I  saw  the 
coast  this  morning,  I  felt  sure  that  unless  there  was  a  change 
in  the  weather  nothing  could  save  her.  Well,  if  it  hadn't 
been  for  the  loss  of  those  seven  hands,  I  should,  thanks  to 
you,  have  nothing  to  complain  of." 

Fires  had  been  lit  on  the  shore  as  night  came  on;  but  ex- 
cept fragments  of  the  wreck  and  a  number  of  bales  of  cotton 
nothing  was  recovered.  In  the  morning  the  captain  and  crew 
left  Seaport,  two  hands  remaining  behind  to  look  after  the 
cotton  and  recover  as  much  as  they  could.  Two  days  later 
Mr.  Beveridge  returned  home. 

"  I  saw  in  the  paper  before  I  left  town,  Horace,  an  account 
of  your  going  out  to  the  wreck  and  saving  the  lives  of  those 
on  board.  I  am  very  glad  I  was  not  here,  my  lad.  I  don't 
think  I  should  have  let  you  go;  but  as  I  knew  nothing  about 
it  until  it  was  all  over,  I  had  no  anxiety  about  it,  and  felt 
quite  proud  of  you  when  I  read  the  account.  The  money  was 
well  laid  out  on  that  yacht,  my  boy.  I  don't  say  that  I  didn't 
think  so  before,  but  I  certainly  think  so  now.  However, 
directly  I  read  it  I  wrote  to  the  Lifeboat  Society  and  told 
them  that  I  would  pay  for  a  boat  to  be  placed  here.  Then 
there  will  be  no  occasion  to  tempt  Providence  the  next  time 
a  vessel  comes  ashore  on  this  part  of  the  coast.  You  suc- 
ceeded once,  Horace,  but  you  might  not  succeed  another 
time;  and  knowing  what  a  sea  sets  in  here  in  a  south-westerly 
gale,  I  quite  tremble  now  at  the  thought  of  your  being  out  in 
it  in  that  little  craft." 

The  news  that  Mr.  Beveridsre  had  ordered  a  lifeboat  for  the 


THE    WRECK  (53 

port  gave  great  satisfaction  among  the  fishermen,  not  so  much 
perhaps  because  it  would  enable  them  to  go  out  to  wrecks,  as 
because  any  of  their  own  craft  approaching  the  harbour  in  bad 
weather,  and  needing  assistance,  could  then  receive  it. 

Horace  became  very  popular  in  Seaport  after  the  rescue,  and 
was  spoken  of  affectionately  as  the  young  squire,  although  they 
were  unable  to  associate  the  term  with  his  father;  but  the 
latter's  interest  in  the  sea,  and  his  occasionally  going  out  in 
the  yacht,  seemed  to  have  brought  him  nearer  to  the  fishing 
people.  There  had  before  been  absolutely  nothing  in  common 
between  them  and  the  studious  recluse,  and  even  the  Greeks, 
who  had  before  been  held  in  marked  disfavour  in  the  village 
as  outlandish  followers,  were  now  regarded  with  different  eyes 
when  it  was  learned  that  Marco  had  been  a  fisherman  too  in 
his  time,  and  his  share  in  the  adventure  of  the  Surf  dissipated 
the  last  shadow  of  prejudice  against  them. 

The  weather  continued  more  or  less  broken  through  the 
whole  of  the  holidays,  and  Horace  had  but  little  sailing.  He 
spent  a  good  deal  of  his  time  over  at  his  cousins',  rode  occa- 
sionally after  the  hounds  with  them,  and  did  some  shooting. 
A  week  after  coming  home  his  father  had  again  gone  up  to 
town,  and  remained  there  until  after  Horace  had  returned  to 
Eton.  He  was,  the  lad  observed,  more  abstracted  even  than 
usual,  but  was  at  the  same  time  restless  and  unsettled.  He 
looked  eagerly  for  the  post,  and  received  and  despatched  a 
large  number  of  letters.  Horace  supposed  that  he  must  be 
engaged  in  some  very  sharp  and  interesting  controversy  as  to 
a  disputed  reading,  or  the  meaning  of  some  obscure  passage, 
until  the  evening  before  he  went  away  his  father  said: 

"  I  suppose,  Horace,  you  are  following  with  interest  the 
course  of  events  in  Thessaly?  " 

"Well,  father,  we  see  the  papers  of  course.  There  seems 
to  be  a  row  going  on  there;  they  are  always  fighting  about 
something.  From  what  I  could  understand  of  it,  Ali  Pasha 
of  Janina  has  revolted  against  the  Sultan,  and  the  Turks  are 
_ring  him.  What  sort  of  a  chap  is  he?  He  is  an  Alba- 
nian, isn't  he?  " 


64  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

"Yes,  with  all  the  virtues  and  vices  of  his  race — ambitious, 
avaricious,  revengeful,  and  cruel,  but  brave  and  astute.  He 
has  been  the  instrument  of  the  Porte  in  breaking  down  the  last 
remnants  of  independence  in  the  wide  districts  he  rules.  As 
you  know,  very  many  of  the  Christian  and  Mussulman  villages 
possessed  armed  guards  called  armatoli,  who  are  responsible 
not  only  for  the  safety  of  the  village,  but  for  the  security  of 
the  roads;  the  defence  of  the  passes  was  committed  to  them, 
and  they  were  able  to  keep  the  numerous  bands  of  brigands 
within  moderate  bounds.  This  organization  Ali  Pasha  set 
himself  to  work  to  weaken  as  soon  as  he  came  into  power. 
He  played  off  one  party  against  the  other — the  Mussulmans 
against  the  Christians,  the  brigands  against  the  armatoli,  one 
powerful  chief  against  another.  He  crushed  the  Suliots,  who 
possessed  a  greater  amount  of  independence,  perhaps,  than 
any  of  the  other  tribes,  and  who,  it  must  be  owned,  were  a 
scourge  to  all  their  neighbours.  He  took  away  all  real  power 
from  the  armatoli,  crippled  the  Mussulman  communities  as 
well  as  weakened  the  Christian  villages;  inspired  terror  in 
the  whole  population  by  the  massacre  of  such  as  resisted  his 
will,  and  those  whom  he  could  not  crush  by  force  he  removed 
by  poison;  finally,  he  became  so  strong  that  it  was  evident 
his  design  was  to  become  altogether  independent  of  the  Sul- 
tan. But  he  miscalculated  his  power,  his  armies  fled  almost 
without  striking  a  blow;  his  sons,  who  commanded  them,  are 
either  fugitives  or  prisoners;  and  now  we  hear  that  he  is  be- 
sieged in  his  fortress,  which  is  capable  of  withstanding  a  very 
long  siege." 

"  He  must  be  a  thorough  old  scoundrel,  I  should  say, 
father." 

"  Yes,"  Mr.  Beveridge  assented  somewhat  unwillingly.  "  No 
doubt  he  is  a  bad  man,  Horace;  but  he  might  have  been — he 
may  even  yet  be,  useful  to  Greece.  When  it  first  became  evi- 
dent that  matters  would  come  to  a  struggle  between  him  and 
the  Porte  he  issued  proclamations  calling  upon  the  Christians 
to  assist  him  and  make  common  cause  against  the  Turks,  and 


THE   WRECK  65 

specially  invited  Greece  to  declare  her  independence  of 
Turkey,  and  to  join  him." 

"  But  I  should  say,  father,  the  Albanians  would  be  even 
worse  masters  than  the  Turks." 

"  No  doubt,  Horace,  no  doubt.  The  Turks,  I  may  own, 
have  not  on  the  whole  been  hard  masters  to  the  Christians. 
They  are  much  harder  upon  the  Mussulman  population  than 
upon  the  Christian,  as  the  latter  can  complain  to  the  Russians, 
who,  as  their  co-religionists,  claim  to  exercise  a  special  protec- 
tion over  them.  But,  indeed,  all  the  Christian  powers  give  pro- 
tection, more  or  less,  to  the  Christian  Greeks,  who,  especially 
in  the  Morea,  have  something  approaching  municipal  institu- 
tions, and  are  governed  largely  by  men  chosen  by  themselves. 
Therefore  the  pashas  take  good  care  not  to  bring  trouble  on 
themselves  or  the  Porte  by  interfering  with  them  so  long  as 
they  pay  their  taxes,  which  are  by  no  means  excessive;  while 
the  Mussulman  part  of  the  population,  having  no  protectors, 
are  exposed  to  all  sorts  of  exactions,  which  are  limited  only 
by  the  fear  of  driving  them  into  insurrection.  Still  this  rebel- 
lion of  Ali  Pasha  has  naturally  excited  hopes  in  the  minds  of 
the  Greeks  and  their  friends  that  some  results  may  arise  from 
it,  and  no  better  opportunity  is  likely  to  occur  for  them  to 
make  an  effort  to  shake  off  the  yoke  of  the  Turks.  You  may 
imagine,  Horace,  how  exciting  all  this  is  to  one  who,  like 
myself,  is  the  son  of  a  Greek  mother,  and  to  whom,  therefore, 
the  glorious  traditions  of  Greece  are  the  story  of  his  own  peo- 
ple. As  yet  my  hopes  are  faint,  but  there  is  a  greater  prospect 
now  than  there  has  been  for  the  last  two  hundred  years,  and  I 
would  give  all  I  am  worth  in  the  world  to  live  to  see  Greece 
recover  her  independence." 


66  IN   GREEK   WATERS 


CHAPTER   IV 

A   STARTLING   PROPOSAL 

AFTER  Horace  returned  to  Eton,  remembering  the  intense 
interest  of  his  father  in  the  affairs  of  Greece,  he  read  up 
as  far  as  he  could  everything  relating  to  late  events  there. 
That  he  should  obtain  a  really  fair  view  of  the  situation  was 
impossible.  The  Greeks  had  countrymen  in  every  commercial 
city  in  the  world;  they  were  active  and  intelligent,  and  passion- 
ately desirous  of  interesting  Europe  in  their  cause.  Upon 
the  other  hand  the  Turks  were  voiceless.  Hence  Europe  only 
heard  the  Greek  version  of  the  state  of  affairs;  their  wrongs 
were  exaggerated  and  events  distorted  with  an  utter  disregard 
for  truth,  while  no  whisper  of  the  other  side  of  the  question 
was  ever  heard. 

At  that  time  the  term  Greek  was  applied  to  persons  of  Greek 
religion  rather  than  of  Greek  nationality.  The  population  of 
European  Turkey,  of  pure  Greek  blood,  was  extremely  small, 
while  those  who  held  the  Greek  form  of  religion  were  very 
numerous,  and  the  influence  possessed  by  them  was  even 
greater.  The  Christians  were  in  point  of  intelligence,  activ- 
ity, and  wealth  superior  to  the  Turks.  They  were  subservient 
and  cringing  when  it  suited  their  purpose,  and  were  as  a  rule 
utterly  unscrupulous.  The  consequence  was  that  they  worked 
their  way  into  posts  of  responsibility  and  emolument  in  great 
numbers,  being  selected  by  the  Porte  in  preference  to  the 
duller  and  less  pushing  Turks.  In  some  portions  of  European 
Turkey  they  were  all-powerful ;  in  the  Transylvanian  provinces 
of  Moldavia  and  Wallachia  every  post  was  held  by  Greeks,  and 
there  were  but  a  few  small  and  scattered  Turkish  garrisons. 
Yet  here  the  population  were  incomparably  more  cruelly  fleeced 
and  ground  down  by  their  Greek  masters  than  were  the  Chris- 
tians in  the  more  Turkish  provinces. 

In  Servia  and  parts  of  Bulgaria  the  numbers  were  more 


A   STARTLING    PROPOSAL  67 

even,  but  here  also  the  Greeks  held  most  of  the  responsible 
posts.  In  Greece  proper  the  Christians  vastly  predominated, 
while  in  Northern  Thessaly  the  numbers  of  the  Christians  and 
Mussulmans  were  about  the  same. 

The  Greek  metropolitan  of  Constantinople  and  his  council 
exercised  a  large  authority  by  means  of  the  bishops  and  priests 
over  the  whole  Christian  population,  while  for  some  time  a 
secret  society  named  the  Philike  Hetaireia  had  been  at  work 
preparing  them  for  a  rising.  It  was  started  originally  among 
the  Greeks  at  Odessa,  and  was  secretly  patronized  by  Russia, 
which  then,  as  since,  had  designs  upon  Constantinople. 

The  first  outbreak  had  occurred  in  March,  1S21,  when  Prince 
Alexander  Hypsilantes,  who  had  been  an  officer  in  the  Rus- 
sian service,  crossed  the  Pruth,  and  was  joined  by  the  Greek 
officials  and  tax-gatherers  of  the  Transylvanian  provinces. 
He  was  a  vain,  empty-headed,  and  utterly  incompetent  ad- 
venturer. A  small  band  of  youths  belonging  to  good  families 
enrolled  themselves  under  the  title  of  the  Sacred  Band,  and 
the  army  also  joined  him,  but  beyond  the  cold-blooded  mas- 
sacre of  a  considerable  number  of  Turks  and  their  families  he 
did  absolutely  nothing.  The  main  body  of  the  population, 
who  bitterly  hated  their  Greek  oppressors,  remained  quiescent. 
Russia,  seeing  his  utter  incapacity,  repudiated  him,  and  after 
keeping  alive  the  hopes  of  his  followers  by  lying  proclama- 
tions Hypsilantes  secured  his  own  safety  by  flight  across  the 
Austrian  frontier  when  the  Turkish  army  approached.  The 
five  hundred  young  men  of  the  Sacred  Battalion  fought  nobly 
and  were  killed  almost  to  a  man;  but  with  the  exception  of  a 
band  of  officers  who  refused  to  surrender,  and  shut  themselves 
up  in  Skulani  and  in  the  monastery  of  Seko  and  there  de- 
fended themselves  bravely  until  the  last,  no  resistance  was 
offered  to  the  Turks,  and  the  insurrection  was  stamped  out  by 
the  beginning  of  June.  But  in  the  meantime  Greece  proper 
was  rising,  and  though  the  news  came  but  slowly  Horace  saw 
that  his  father's  hopes  were  likely  to  be  gratified,  and  that  the 
Greeks  would  probably  strike  a  blow  at  least  for  national  in- 


68  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

dependence,  and  he  more  than  shared  the  general  excitement 
that  the  news  caused  among  educated  men  throughout  Europe. 

The  summer  holidays  passed  uneventfully.  Horace  took 
long  cruises  in  the  Surf.  He  saw  but  little  of  his  father, 
who  was  constantly  absent  in  London.  August  came,  and 
Horace  returned  from  his  last  trip  and  was  feeling  rather 
depressed  at  the  thought  of  going  back  to  school  in  two  days' 
time.     He  met  Zaimes  as  he  entered  the  house. 

"Is  my  father  back  from  town,  Zaimes?" 

"  Yes,  Mr.  Horace,  and  he  told  me  to  tell  you  as  soon  as  you 
returned  that  he  wished  you  to  go  to  him  at  once  in  the 
library." 

It  was  so  unlike  his  father  to  want  to  see  him  particularly 
about  anything,  that  Horace  went  in  in  some  wonder  as  to 
what  could  be  the  matter.  Mr.  Beveridge  was  walking  up  and 
down  the  room. 

"  Is  your  mind  very  much  set  on  going  back  to  Eton, 
Horace?"  he  asked  abruptly. 

"  I  don't  know,  father,"  Horace  said,  taken  somewhat  aback 
at  the  question.  "  Well,  I  would  very  much  rather  go  back, 
father,  than  be  doing  nothing  here.  I  am  very  fond  of  sail- 
ing as  an  amusement,  but  one  would  not  want  to  be  at  it  always. 
Of  course  if  there  is  anything  really  to  do  it  would  be  differ- 
ent." 

"Well,  I  think  there  is  something  else  to  do,  Horace.  You 
know  my  feeling  with  regard  to  this  insurrection  in  Greece." 

"Yes,  father,"  Horace,  who  was  indeed  rather  tired  of  the 
subject,  replied. 

"  Well,  you  see,  my  boy,  they  have  now  resisted  the  Turks 
for  some  five  months  and  have  gained  rather  than  lost  ground. 
That  seems  to  show  decisively  that  this  is  no  mere  hasty  ris- 
ing, but  that  the  people  are  in  earnest  in  the  determination 
to  win  their  liberty.  Now  that  I  am  thoroughly  convinced  of 
this  my  course  is  clear,  and  I  have  determined  upon  going 
out  to  give  such  assistance  as  I  can." 

Horace  was  astounded.     "Going  out  to  fight,  father?" 


A    STARTLING   PROPOSAL  69 

"Yes,  if  necessary  to  fight,  but  I  can  be  of  more  use  than  in 
merely  fighting.  I  have  never,  since  I  came  into  the  property 
some  twenty-four  years  ago,  spent  anything  like  a  third  of  my 
income.  Indeed,  since  my  return  from  Greece  my  expenses 
here  have  been  but  a  few  hundreds  a  year.  I  have  always 
hoped  that  I  should  have  the  opportunity  of  devoting  the 
savings  to  help  Greece  to  regain  her  independence.  That 
moment  has  come.  At  first  I  feared  that  the  movement  would 
speedily  die  out;  but  the  letters  that  I  receive  show  that  it  is 
increasing  daily,  and  indeed  that  the  Greeks  have  placed 
themselves  beyond  the  hope  of  forgiveness  by,  I  am  sorry  to 
say,  the  massacre  of  large  numbers  of  Turks.  It  is,  of  course, 
to  be  regretted  that  so  glorious  a  cause  should  have  been  sul- 
lied by  such  conduct ;  but  one  cannot  be  surprised.  Slaves 
are  always  cruel,  and  after  the  wrongs  they  have  suffered,  it 
could  hardly  be  expected  that  they  would  forego  their  revenge 
when  the  opportunity  at  last  came.  However,  the  important 
point  of  the  matter  is,  that  there  can  be  no  drawing  back 
now. 

"  For  better  or  for  worse  the  revolution  has  begun.  Now, 
Horace,  you  are  but  sixteen,  but  you  are  a  sensible  lad,  and 
I  have  stood  so  much  apart  from  other  men  from  my  boyhood 
that  I  am  what  you  might  call  unpractical;  while  I  take  it  that 
you  from  your  temperament,  and  from  being  at  a  great  public 
school,  are  eminently  practical,  therefore,  I  shall  be  glad  to 
hear  your  opinion  as  to  how  this  thing  had  best  be  set  about. 
I  take  it,  of  course,  that  you  are  as  interested  in  the  struggle 
as  I  am." 

"Well,  not  so  interested  perhaps,  father.  I  feel,  of  course, 
that  it  is  a  horrible  thing  that  a  people  like  the  Greeks,  to 
whom  we  all  owe  so  much,  should  be  kept  in  slavery  by  the 
Turks,  who  have  never  done  any  good  to  mankind  that  I  know 
of,  and  I  should  certainly  be  glad  to  do  everything  in  my  power 
to  help;  but  of  course  it  all  comes  so  suddenly  upon  me  that 
just  at  present  I  don't  see  what  had  best  be  done." 

"  I  heard  from  my  friends  in  London  that  many  young  men 


70  IN   GREEK  WATERS 

are  already  starting  to  assist  the  Greeks.  What  they  will  need 
most  is  not  men,  but  arms  and  money,  so  at  least  my  Greek 
friends  write  me." 

"Well,  father,"  Horace  said  bluntly;  "I  should  say  you 
had  much  better  give  them  arms  than  money.  I  have  been 
reading  the  thing  up  as  much  as  I  could  since  it  began,  and 
as  far  as  I  can  see  the  upper  class  Greeks,  the  men  who,  I 
suppose,  will  be  the  leaders,  are  a  pretty  bad  lot — quite  as 
bad,  I  should  say,  as  the  Turkish  pashas." 

"  Yes,  I  quite  agree  with  you  there,  Horace.  You  see  in  a 
country  that  is  enslaved  political  and  other  careers  are  closed, 
and  the  young  men  devote  themselves  to  making  money.  You 
see  that  in  the  history  of  the  Jews.  All  through  the  middle 
ages  they  were  everywhere  persecuted,  every  avenue  to  hon- 
ourable employment  was  closed  to  them,  consequently  they 
devoted  themselves  to  making  money,  and  have  been  the 
bankers  of  kings  for  hundreds  of  years.  No  doubt  it  is  the 
same  thing  with  the  Greeks;  but  the  mass  of  the  people  are 
uncorrupted,  and  with  the  deeds  of  their  great  forefathers 
always  before  them  they  will,  I  am  sure,  show  themselves 
worthy  of  their  name." 

"No  doubt,  father;   I  think  so  too." 

"You  don't  mind  my  spending  this  money  on  the  Cause, 
Horace,"  his  father  asked  anxiously,  "because,  though  it  is 
my  savings,  it  would  in  the  natural  course  of  things  come  to 
you  some  day." 

"Not  at  all,  father;  it  is,  as  you  say,  your  savings,  and 
having  at  heart,  as  you  have,  the  independence  of  Greece,  I 
think  it  cannot  be  better  laid  out  than  assisting  it.  But  I 
should  certainly  like  it  to  be  laid  out  for  that,  and  not  to  go 
into  the  pockets  of  a  lot  of  fellows  who  think  more  of  feather- 
ing their  own  nests  than  of  the  freedom  of  Greece.  So  I  should 
say  the  best  thing  would  be  to  send  out  a  cargo  of  arms  and 
ammunition,  as  a  beginning;  other  cargoes  can  go  out  as  they 
are  required.  And  you  might,  of  course,  take  a  certain  amount 
of  money  to  distribute  yourself  as  you  see  it  is  required.  I 
hope  you  mean  to  take  me  with  you." 


A    STARTLING   PROPOSAL  71 

"  I  think  so,  Horace.  You  are  young  to  do  any  fighting  at 
present,  but  you  will  be  a  great  support  and  comfort  to  me." 

Horace  could  scarcely  resist  a  smile,  for  he  thought  that  if 
there  was  any  fighting  to  be  done  he  would  be  of  considerably 
more  use  than  his  father. 

"Well,  I  suppose  the  next  thing,  Horace,  will  be  to  go  up 
to  town  to  inquire  about  arms.  My  Greek  friends  there  will 
advise  me  as  to  their  purchase,  and  so  on." 

"Yes,  father,"  Horace  said  a  little  doubtfully;  "but  as  it  is 
late  now  I  think,  if  you  don't  mind,  I  will  get  some  supper 
and  turn  in.  I  will  think  it  over.  I  think  we  had  better  talk 
it  over  quietly  and  quite  make  up  our  minds  what  is  best  to 
be  done  before  we  set  about  anything ;  a  few  hours  won't  make 
any  difference." 

"Quite  so,  Horace;  it  is  no  use  our  beginning  by  making 
mistakes.  It  is  a  great  comfort  to  me,  my  boy,  to  have  you 
with  me.  At  any  rate  I  will  write  to-night  to  your  head- 
master and  say  that  circumstances  will  prevent  your  return  to 
Eton  this  term." 

Horace  went  into  the  next  room,  had  some  supper,  and  then 
went  thoughtfully  up  to  bed.  The  idea  of  going  out  to  fight 
for  the  independence  of  Greece  was  one  which  at  any  other 
time  he  would  have  regarded  with  enthusiasm,  but  under  the 
present  circumstances  he  felt  depressed  rather  than  excited. 
He  admired  his  father  for  his  great  learning,  and  loved  him 
for  the  kindness  of  his  intentions  towards  him ;  but  he  had 
during  the  last  two  or  three  years  been  more  and  more  im- 
pressed with  the  fact  that  in  everything  unconnected  with  his 
favourite  subject  his  father  was,  as  he  said  himself,  utterly 
unpractical.  He  left  the  management  of  his  estate  to  the 
steward,  the  management  of  the  house  to  Zaimes,  both  happily, 
as  it  chanced,  honest  and  capable  men;  but  had  they  been 
rogues  they  could  have  victimized  him  to  any  extent.  That 
his  father,  who  lived  in  his  library  and  who  was  absorbed  in 
the  past,  should  plunge  into  the  turmoil  of  an  insurrection  was 
an  almost  bewildering  idea.     He  would  be  plundered  right 


72  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

and  left,  and  would  believe  every  story  told  him ;  while  as  for 
his  fighting,  the  thing  seemed  absolutely  absurd.  Horace  felt 
that  the  whole  responsibility  would  be  on  his  shoulders,  and 
this  seemed  altogether  too  much  for  him.  Then  the  admission 
of  his  father  that  abominable  massacres  had  been  perpetrated 
by  the  Greeks  shook  his  enthusiasm  in  the  Cause. 

"  I  should  be  glad  to  see  them  free  and  independent,  and 
all  that,"  he  said,  "but  I  don't  want  to  be  fighting  side  by 
side  with  murderers.  Among  such  fellows  as  these,  my  father, 
who  is  a  great  deal  more  Greek  than  any  Greek  of  the  present 
day,  I  should  say,  would  be  made  utterly  miserable.  He 
admits  that  the  upper  class  are  untrustworthy  and  avaricious. 
Now  he  says  that  the  lower  class  have  massacred  people  in 
cold  blood.  It  does  not  affect  him  much  in  the  distance,  but 
if  he  were  in  the  middle  of  it  all  it  would  be  such  a  shock  to 
him  that  I  believe  it  would  kill  him.  Besides,  fancy  his  going 
long  marches  in  the  mountains,  sleeping  in  the  wet,  and  all 
that  sort  of  thing,  when  he  has  never  walked  half  a  mile  as 
far  back  as  I  can  remember." 

He  lay  tossing  about  for  a  couple  of  hours,  and  then  sat 
suddenly  up  in  bed.  "That's  it,"  he  exclaimed,  "that  is  a 
splendid  idea.  What  a  fool  I  was  not  to  think  of  it  before ! 
If  William  Martyn  is  but  at  home  that  would  be  the  thing 
above  all." 

Then  he  lay  down,  thought  the  matter  over  for  another  half- 
hour,  and  then  went  quietly  off  to  sleep. 

"Well,  Horace,  have  you  been  turning  the  matter  over  in 
your  mind?"  his  father  asked  as  soon  as  they  sat  down  to 
breakfast. 

"  I  have,  father,  and  I  have  hit  upon  a  plan  that  seems  to 
me  the  very  best  thing  possible  in  all  ways." 

"What  is  it,  Horace?" 

"  Well,  father,  it  seems  to  me  that  if  we  take  out  war  mate- 
rial to  Athens  it  will  very  likely  get  into  wrong  hands  alto- 
gether, and  when  arms  are  really  wanted  by  the  people  of  the 
mountains,  and  I  expect  that  it  is  they  who  will  do  the  fight- 


A   STARTLING   PROPOSAL  73 

ing  and  not  the  people  of  the  towns,  there  won't  be  any  to 
give  them.  The  next  thing  is,  if  we  go  to  Athens,  and  people 
know  that  you  are  a  rich  Englishman,  you  will  get  surrounded 
by  sharks,  and  before  you  have  time  to  know  who  is  to  be 
trusted,  or  anything  about  it,  all  your  money  will  be  gone. 
Then  I  am  sure  that  you  could  not  in  that  way  take  any  active 
part  in  helping  to  free  Greece,  you  never  could  stand  marches 
in  the  mountains  and  sleeping  in  the  open  air,  bad  food,  and 
all  that  sort  of  thing,  after  living  the  quiet  indoor  life  you 
have  for  so  many  years.  I  know  you  would  stick  to  it,  father, 
as  long  as  you  could,  but  it  seems  to  me  you  would  be  sure  to 
get  knocked  up." 

"Yes,  I  ought  to  have  prepared  for  this,  Horace.  It  would 
have  been  better  for  me  to  have  taken  regular  exercise  every 
day,  even  if  I  did  get  through  a  little  less  work.  Still  I  am 
stronger  than  you  think.  I  am  only  forty-four,  and  a  man  at 
forty- four  ought  to  be  able  to  do  nearly  as  much  as  he  ever 
could  do." 

"Yes,  father,  if  he  had  lived  an  active  life  and  exercised 
his  muscles.  I  have  no  doubt  you  are  just  as  strong  in  many 
things  as  other  men;  I  never  remember  your  being  ill  for  a 
day;  but  I  am  sure  you  are  not  fit  for  knocking  about  among 
the  mountains.  What  I  have  been  thinking  of  is  this.  If 
you  approve  of  it  I  will  go  over  to  Exmouth  this  morning  and 
see  if  William  Martyn  is  there.  He  is  likely  to  be  at  home 
if  his  vessel  is  in  port.  If  he  is  not,  I  will  get  his  father  to 
recommend  some  one.  There  must  be  lots  of  young  lieuten- 
ants on  half-pay  who  would  jump  at  the  idea.  First  I  should 
engage  with  Martyn  if  he  is  there,  or  go  to  the  man  whom  his 
father  recommended  to  me  at  Plymouth,  and  get  him  to  buy 
for  you  a  fast  schooner  or  brig — one  that  had  either  been  an 
English  privateer  or  a  captured  Frenchman  would  be  about 
the  thing — arrange  with  him  to  be  the  captain  and  engage 
officers  and  crew,  and  get  him  to  arm  her  with  as  many  guns 
as  she  will  carry.  He  would  be  able  probably  to  put  us  into 
the  best  way  of  buying  muskets.     As  such  immense  numbers 


74  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

of  soldiers  have  been  paid  off,  no  doubt  there  have  been  great 
sales  of  muskets  by  government,  and  we  might  get  them  at  a 
quarter  the  price  we  should  have  to  pay  for  new  ones.  .Of 
course  we  should  take  in  ammunition  in  large  quantities.  All 
these  mountaineers  have  no  doubt  got  guns,  and  ammunition 
will  be  the  thing  most  wanted  of  all.  We  could  also  pick  up 
some  cannon.  No  doubt  they  are  to  be  bought  for  scrap  iron. 
The  Greeks  will  want  them  to  arm  their  ships  and  batteries. 
In  that  way  you  see,  father,  you  would  have  everything  under 
your  own  hands.  Nobody  would  know  how  many  muskets  you 
have  got  on  board,  and  you  could  serve  them  out  when  or  how 
they  were  required. 

"The  same  with  money.  We  could  cruise  about  and  pop 
into  quiet  places,  and  send  arms  and  ammunition  up  into  the 
hills.  Of  course  directly  you  got  out  there  you  would  put  the 
ship  under  the  Greek  flag,  and  by  harassing  the  Turks  at  sea 
we  might  do  a  hundred  times  more  good  than  we  could  by 
land.  There  would  be  no  fatigue  and  no  discomfort.  You 
would  always  be  comfortable  on  board,  and  could  take  Zaimes 
and  Marco  with  you.  We  would  take  Tom  Burdett  as  boat- 
swain. He  was  boatswain  in  the  navy,  you  know.  If  he 
goes  I  daresay  Dick  will  also  go  with  us." 

"That  is  an  excellent  plan,  Horace.  It  seems  to  meet  all 
the  difficulties,  and  I  was  really  feeling  uncomfortable  at  the 
thought  of  being  mixed  up  in  all  the  confusion  and  excite- 
ment there  will,  no  doubt,  be  at  Athens.  It  is  a  most  happy 
idea.  We  will  not  lose  a  moment  about  it.  I  like  that  young 
fellow  Martyn,  and  I  hope  you  will  be  able  to  get  hold  of 
him.  Let  him  name  his  own  terms.  I  have  not  the  least  idea 
whether  the  captain  of  a  vessel  of  that  sort  is  paid  five  pounds 
a  week  or  twenty-five.  Of  course  it  will  be  dangerous  service, 
and  should  be  liberally  paid  for.  Well,  you  had  better  pack 
up  your  bag  directly  we  have  finished  breakfast.  You  may  be 
away  for  a  week  or  ten  days." 

"I  can't  start  to-day,  father,  surely." 

"  No  !  why  not,  Horace  ?  " 


A   STARTLING    PROPOSAL  75 

"  Because,  you  know,  you  arranged  we  should  both  go  over 
to  dine  at  aunt's." 

"Of  course,  Horace;  I  quite  forgot  that.  It  is  very  annoy- 
ing, but  I  suppose  it  can't  be  helped." 

Horace  laughed.  "A  day  won't  make  much  difference, 
father.  I  am  sure  aunt  would  be  very  vexed  if  we  did  not 
turn  up.      Do  you  mean  to  tell  her  anything  about  it?  " 

Mr.  Beveridge  was  silent  for  a  minute.  "I  don't  think 
there  is  any  occasion;  do  you,  Horace?"  he  said  doubtfully. 
"  She  might  raise  objections,  you  know;  though  that,  of  course, 
would  make  no  difference;  arguments  are  always  to  be  avoided, 
and  your  aunt  was  always  a  very  positive  woman." 

"  I  think  it  is  just  as  well  to  say  nothing  about  it,"  Horace 
said  with  a  slight  smile,  for  he  felt  sure  that  his  aunt  would 
oppose  the  project  tooth  and  nail  if  she  were  aware  of  it,  and 
that  she  would  be  backed  by  the  whole  strength  of  his  mother's 
family.  He  did  not  say  this,  but  went  on,  "  It  is  a  nuisance 
being  asked  a  tremendous  lot  of  questions  about  things,  espe- 
cially when  you  don't  know  much  about  them  yourself.  No, 
I  think,  father,  we  had  better  keep  it  quite  quiet.  It  will  be 
time  enough  to  write  a  line  to  aunt  and  tell  her  that  we  are 
off,  the  last  thing  before  we  get  up  anchor." 

"I  agree  with  you,  Horace,  so  we  will  say  nothing  about 
this  trip  of  ours.  Well,  as  it  seems  you  can't  go  to-day,  you 
had  better  make  your  arrangements  to  catch  the  coach  to-mor- 
row morning.  I  will  sign  a  dozen  blank  cheques,  which  you 
can  fill  up  as  required.  Of  course  whoever  accepts  the  post 
of  captain  will  know  all  that  will  be  wanted  for  the  ship,  and 
if  he  doesn't  know  himself  about  the  arms  and  ammunition 
he  may  be  able  to  introduce  you  to  some  officer  who  does. 
"Will  you  take  Marco  with  you?  " 

"No,  I  don't  think  so,  father.  I  don't  see  that  he  would 
be  any  use,  and  having  a  man  going  about  with  you  looks  as 
if  one  was  being  taken  care  of." 

Horace  caught  the  coach  and  alighted  at  Exmouth,  and 
hurried  to  the  revenue  officer's  house. 


76  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

"Is  Mr.  William  Martyn  in?"  he  asked  the  servant  who 
opened  the  door. 

"  He  is  not  in  just  at  present,  sir;  I  think  he  went  down  to 
the  river." 

"How  long  has  he  been  home?  "  Horace  asked,  delighted 
at  the  news. 

"He  only  got  in  last  week,  sir;  his  ship  got  wrecked,  and 
Mr.  William  turned  up  without  any  clothes,  or  anything  except 
just  what  he  stood  up  in." 

"Hurrah!"  Horace  exclaimed,  to  the  astonishment  of  the 
woman,  and  then  without  another  word  ran  down  to  the 
wharfs.  He  soon  saw  the  figure  he  was  in  search  of  talking 
to  two  or  three  old  sailors. 

"Hullo,  youngster!"  Martyn  said  in  surprise,  as  Horace 
came  up,  "where  have  you  sprung  from?" 

"Off  the  top  of  the  coach." 

"  I  suppose  so.  I  have  been  having  a  bit  of  bad  luck  and 
lost  my  ship.  We  were  wrecked  off  St.  Catharine's  Point,  at 
the  back  of  the  Isle  of  Wight,  and  there  were  only  seven  of 
us  saved  among  a  crew  of  thirty-five  all  told." 

"Yes,  I  heard  from  your  servant  you  had  been  wrecked," 
Horace  said.  "She  didn't  say  that  any  lives  had  been  lost; 
but  I  must  have  astonished  her,  now  I  think  of  it,  for  I  said 
'Hurrah  !  '   when  she  told  me." 

"What  did  you  say  hurrah  for?  "  the  mate  asked  gruffly. 

"  Because  I  wanted  to  find  you  here,  and  was  so  pleased  that 
you  were  not  going  to  sail  away  again  directly." 

"No,"  Will  Martyn  said  gloomily,  "it  is  bad  enough  to 
have  lost  one's  kit  and  everything,  and  now  I  shall  have  to 
look  about  for  another  berth,  for  I  think  the  vessel  was  only 
partly  insured,  and  as  the  owners  only  have  one  or  two  ships  I 
expect  it  will  hit  them  rather  hard,  and  that  they  won't  have 
another  craft  ready  for  some  time,  so  it  will  be  no  use  my 
waiting  for  that." 

The  sailors  had  moved  away  when  Horace  came  up,  so  that  he 
was  able  at  once  to  open  the  subject  of  his  visit  to  the  mate. 


A    STARTLING   PROPOSAL  77 

"  Well,  that  was  just  what  I  was  hoping  when  I  heard  that 
you  were  wrecked,  Will,  for  I  had  come  over  on  purpose  to 
see  if  you  were  disengaged  and  disposed  to  take  a  new  berth." 

"What!  is  your  father  going  in  for  a  big  yacht  instead  of 
the  Surf,  Horace?" 

"Well,  not  exactly,  but  something  of  that  sort.  You  know 
I  told  you  how  enthusiastic  he  was  about  Greece  and  every- 
thing connected  with  it.  Of  course  he  is  tremendously  excited 
about  this  rising  out  there,  and  he  is  going  to  send  out  a  lot 
of  arms  and  ammunition.  So  we  have  talked  it  over  and 
agreed  that  the  best  thing  to  do  would  be  to  buy  a  fast  schooner 
or  brig,  fit  her  up  as  a  privateer,  fill  her  with  arms  and  ammu- 
nition, and  go  out,  hoist  the  Greek  flag,  and  do  what  we  can 
to  help  them  against  the  Turks.  Of  course  we  thought  at 
once  of  you  to  carry  out  the  thing,  and  to  act  as  captain. 
What  do  you  say  to  it?  " 

"The  very  thing  I  should  like,  Horace;  nothing  could  suit 
me  better.  Mind  I  am  not  giving  any  opinion  as  to  whether 
it  is  a  wise  thing  on  the  part  of  your  father;  that  is  his  busi- 
ness.    But  as  far  as  I  am  concerned  I  am  your  man." 

"  My  father  said  you  were  to  name  your  own  terms.  He 
didn't  know  anything  about  what  the  pay  should  be,  but  he 
particularly  said  that  as  it  would  be  a  service  of  danger  it 
ought  to  be  paid  for  liberally." 

"Of  course  there  will  be  danger,"  the  mate  said,  "but  that 
adds  to  the  pleasure  of  it.  If  I  were  a  married  man  of  course 
I  should  have  to  look  at  it  in  a  different  light;  but  as  I  ain't, 
and  have  no  idea  of  getting  spliced,  the  danger  does  not 
trouble  me.  I  have  been  getting  eight  pounds  a  month  as 
third  mate,  and  I  should  have  got  ten  next  voyage,  as  I  was 
going  second.  As  I  shall  be  skipper  on  board  this  craft  of 
yours,  suppose  we  say  twelve  pounds  a  month." 

"My  father  expected  to  pay  more  than  that  a  good  deal," 
Horace  said;  "and  as  everything  will  depend  upon  you  it 
would  not  be  at  all  fair  to  pay  the  same  sort  of  pay  as  if  you 
were  merely  sailing  in  a  merchant's  ship.     However,  he  will 


78  IN  GREEK  WATERS 

write  to  you  about  it.  There  will  be  a  tremendous  lot  to  do 
before  we  start,  and  we  want  to  be  off  as  soon  as  possible. 
There  is  a  ship  to  buy  and  fit  out,  and  officers  to  get,  and  a 
crew.  Then  we  want  to  find  out  where  we  can  buy  muskets. 
It  seemed  to  me  that  as  government  must  have  been  selling 
great  quantities,  we  should  be  able  to  get  them  pretty  cheap." 

"  I  could  find  out  all  about  that  at  the  port  where  we  fit 
out,"  Will  Martyn  said.  "As  for  cannon,  they  can  be  had 
almost  for  taking  away.  There  are  thousands  and  thousands 
of  them  to  be  had  at  every  port.  Five  years  ago  every  vessel 
went  to  sea  armed.  Now  even  the  biggest  craft  only  carry  a 
gun  or  two  for  firing  signals  with,  unless,  of  course,  they  are 
going  to  sail  in  Eastern  waters.  Well,  this  is  a  big  job — a 
different  sort  of  order  altogether  to  buying  the  Su?-f  for  you. 
I  hope  it  will  turn  out  as  well." 

"Of  course  Plymouth  will  be  the  best  port  to  go  to." 

"I  don't  know.  During  the  war  certainly  either  that  or 
Portsmouth  would  have  been  the  best.  Vessels  were  constantly 
coming  in  with  prizes;  but  now,  I  should  say  either  London 
or  Liverpool  would  be  the  best  for  picking  up  the  sort  of  craft 
we  want.  Still,  as  Plymouth  is  so  much  the  nearest  here,  I 
should  say  we  had  best  try  there  first.  Then  if  we  can't  find 
what  we  want  we  will  take  a  passage  by  coaster  to  Portsmouth, 
if  the  wind  is  favourable;  if  not,  go  by  coach.  But  how  are 
you  off  for  money,  because  I  am  at  dead  low-water?  I  have 
got  a  few  pounds  owing  to  me,  but  I  can't  handle  that  till  I 
get  to  London." 

"I  have  twenty  pounds,"  Horace  said.  "WTe  didn't  think, 
when  I  started,  of  going  farther  than  Plymouth;  but  I  have 
some  blank  cheques  for  paying  for  things." 

"Twenty  pounds  ought  to  be  ample;  but  if  we  find  at  Plym- 
outh we  want  more  I  can  easily  get  one  cashed  for  you.  I 
know  plenty  of  people  there." 

"Well,  when  can  you  start,  Will?  My  father  is  anxious  not 
to  lose  a  moment." 

"  I  can  start  in  ten  minutes  if  my  father  is  at  home.    I  should 


A   STARTLING   PROPOSAL  79 

want  to  have  just  a  short  chat  with  him;  but  I  can  do  that 
while  they  are  getting  the  chaise  ready.  Our  best  plan  would 
be  to  drive  to  Exeter  and  take  the  evening  coach  going  through 
there.  There  is  one  comes  through  about  six  o'clock.  I  have 
come  down  by  it  several  times.  It  will  take  us  into  Plymouth 
by  twelve  o'clock;  so  we  should  gain  nothing  if  we  started 
earlier." 

"Well,  I  will  go  to  the  inn,"  Horace  said. 

"No;  that  you  won't,  Horace.  You  come  round  with  me. 
I  expect  dinner  is  ready  by  this  time.  We  generally  dine  at 
one.  My  father  went  out  in  the  cutter  to  look  after  a  wreck 
four  or  five  miles  along  the  coast,  and  he  said  he  did  not  ex- 
pect to  be  back  till  between  two  and  three;  so  we  settled  to 
dine  at  three.     There  is  the  cutter  coming  up  the  river  now." 

"But  you  would  rather  be  with  your  father  alone,"  Horace 
said. 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it.  1  have  got  nothing  private  to  say  to  him, 
except  to  get  him  to  let  me  draw  twenty  pounds  from  his  agent 
to  get  a  fresh  rig-out  with.  He  would  like  to  see  you  again, 
especially  as  I  am  going  to  sail  with  you,  and  he  may  be  able  to 
put  us  up  to  a  few  wrinkles  as  to  getting  our  powder  on  board, 
and  so  on.  Of  course  I  have  been  accustomed  to  seeing  it  got 
in  from  government  powder  hulks.  We  will  just  walk  up  to 
the  house  now  if  you  don't  mind,  to  tell  the  girl  to  put  an 
extra  knife  and  fork  on  the  table,  then  we  will  go  down  and 
meet  my  father  when  he  lands." 

The  servant  looked  with  such  strong  disapprobation  upon 
Horace  when  she  opened  the  door  that  he  burst  into  a  fit  of 
laughter.  "You  are  thinking  about  my  saying  hurrah  when  I 
heard  Mr.  Martyn  was  wrecked?"  he  said.  "Well,  I  did  not 
exactly  mean  that,  only  I  was  very  glad,  because  I  thought  if 
he  had  not  been  wrecked  he  could  not  have  shipped  just  at 
present,  and  1  wanted  him  very  badly." 

"Yes,  I  am  off  again,  Hesba,"  the  mate  said.  "Going  right 
away  this  afternoon.  That  is  a  bit  of  luck,  isn't  it?  1  have 
just  come  back  to  tell  you  to  put  another  knife  and  fork  upon 


80  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

the  table,  as  Mr.  Beveridge  is  going  to  dine  with  us;  and  ii  you 
have  time  to  kill  a  fatted  calf,  or  anything  of  that  sort,  do  so.." 

"Lor',  Mr.  William,  you  know  very  well  there  ain't  no 
fatted  calf,  and  if  there  was  it  would  take  ever  so  long  to  kill 
it  and  get  some  meat  cooked,  if  it  was  only  cutlets." 

"Well,"  Martyn  laughed,  "never  mind  the  calf,  Hesba; 
but  if  dinner  is  short  run  straight  down  to  the  butcher's  and 
get  a  good  big  tender  steak,  and  look  sharp  about  it,  for  my 
father  will  be  here  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour." 

As  Horace  had  seen  Captain  Martyn  (as  he  was  by  courtesy 
called,  being  in  command  of  a  revenue  cutter,  although  only  in 
fact  a  lieutenant)  several  times  while  fitting  out  the  Surf  the 
officer  knew  him  as  he  saw  him  standing  at  the  top  of  the  stairs 
with  his  son. 

"Well,  Master  Beveridge,"  he  said  as  he  climbed  up  the 
stairs,  "I  haven't  seen  you  since  you  sailed  away  in  that  little 
craft.  I  hear  you  did  a  brave  deed  in  her,  going  out  in  that 
gale  to  rescue  the  crew  of  the  Caledon.  It  is  lucky  you  caught 
Will  in."  He  was  by  this  time  ashore  and  shaking  hands 
heartily  with  Horace. 

"He  has  come  to  take  me  away,  father,"  Will  said.  "Mr. 
Beveridge  is  going  to  get  a  fast  craft  to  carry  out  arms  and 
ammunition  to  the  Greeks,  and  he  has  offered  me  the  com- 
mand." 

"  I  should  not  mind  going  myself,  Will.  I  am  sorry  you  are 
off  so  soon;  but  you  are  likely  to  see  some  stirring  scenes  over 
there.     When  are  you  going?  " 

"  We  are  going  to  start  directly  we  have  had  some  dinner, 
father.  We  will  order  a  chaise  as  we  go  along.  We  intend 
to  catch  the  six-o'clock  coach  at  Exeter,  so  as  to  get  to  Plym- 
outh to-night.  I  am  going  to  see  if  we  can  pick  up  a  likely 
craft  there.  If  not,  I  shall  try  Portsmouth  and  Southampton, 
and  if  they  won't  do,  London." 

"  Well,  that  is  sharp  work,  Will.  But  you  have  no  kit  to 
pack,  so  there  is  no  difficulty  about  it.  However,  there  is 
no  time  to  be  lost." 


A    STARTLING   PROPOSAL  81 

At  a  quarter  to  four  the  post-chaise  was  at  the  door,  and 
Will  Martyn  and  Horace  started.  The  horses  were  good,  and 
they  were  in  plenty  of  time  for  the  coach,  and  arrived  duly 
in  Plymouth.  As  soon  as  they  had  breakfasted  next  morning 
they  started  out  and  went  first  to  the  shipping  office  of  a  firm 
known  to  Will  Martyn,  and  there  got  a  list  of  ships  lying  for 
sale  in  the  port. 

"What  sort  of  craft  are  you  looking  for,  Martyn?"  the 
shipping  agent  said.  "We  have  a  dozen  at  least  on  our  own 
books,  and  you  may  as  well  give  us  a  turn  before  you  look  at 
any  others." 

"I  want  a  schooner  or  a  brig — I  don't  much  care  which  it 
is — of  about  a  couple  of  hundred  tons.  She  must  be  very  fast 
and  weatherly ;  the  sort  of  craft  that  was  used  as  a  privateer 
in  the  war;  or  as  a  slaver ;  or  something  of  that  kind." 

"  I  have  only  one  craft  that  answers  to  that  description,"  the 
agent  said;  "but  I  should  say  that  she  was  what  you  want. 
She  was  sent  home  from  the  west  coast  of  Africa  six  months 
ago,  as  a  prize.  Of  course  she  was  sold,  and  was  bought  by 
a  man  I  know.  After  he  had  got  her  he  found  she  had  not 
enough  carrying  power  for  his  business.  She  never  was  built 
for  cargo,  and  would  be  an  expensive  vessel  to  work,  for  she 
has  a  large  sail  spread,  and  would  want  so  strong  a  crew  to 
work  her  that  she  would  never  pay.  He  bought  her  cheap  for 
that  reason,  and  will  be  glad  to  get  the  price  he  gave  for  her, 
or  if  the  point  were  pressed  even  to  make  some  loss  to  get  her 
off  his  hands.  They  call  her  a  hundred  and  fifty,  and  she 
looks  a  big  vessel  for  that  size.  But  if  she  had  eighty  tons 
in  her  hold  it  would  be  as  much  as  she  could  carry  with  com- 
fort." 

"That  sounds  promising,"  Martyn  said.  "At  any  rate  we 
will  begin  by  having  a  look  at  her.     Where  is  she  lying?  " 

"About  three  miles  up  the  river.  Tide  is  making;  so  we 
could  run  up  there  in  a  sailing  boat  in  half  an  hour.  I  will 
go  with  you  myself.  There  is  a  care-taker  on  board.  Are 
you  buying  her  for  yourself,  Martyn?  " 


82  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

The  mate  laughed. 

"  As  I  have  not  captured  an  heiress  I  am  not  likely  to  be- 
come a  ship  owner.  No;  Mr.  Beveridge's  father  is  fond  of 
the  sea,  and  has  commissioned  me  to  buy  a  comfortable  craft 
that  shall  be  at  once  fast  and  seaworthy,  and  I  am  going  to 
command  her." 

"Well,  I  don't  think  you  would  find  anything  that  would 
suit  your  purpose  better  than  the  Creole.  She  would  make  a 
splendid  yacht  for  a  gentleman  who  had  a  fancy  for  long 
cruises." 

"What  is  her  age?  "  the  mate  asked. 

"Well,  of  course  we  can't  tell  exactly;  but  the  dockyard 
people  thought  she  couldn't  be  above  four  or  five  years  old. 
That  is  what  they  put  her  down  as  when  they  sold  her.  At 
any  rate  she  is  sound,  and  in  as  good  condition  as  if  she  had 
just  come  off  the  stocks.  She  had  been  hulled  in  two  or  three 
places  in  the  fight  when  she  was  captured,  but  she  was  made 
all  right  in  the  dockyard  before  she  was  put  up  for  sale.  All 
her  gear,  sails,  and  so  on  are  in  excellent  condition." 

"Where  are  they?  " 

"  They  are  on  board.  As  we  had  a  care-taker  it  was  cheaper 
to  leave  them  there  and  have  good  fires  going  occasionally  to 
keep  them  dry  than  it  would  have  been  to  stow  them  away  on 
shore." 

There  was  a  brisk  breeze  blowing,  and  in  less  than  the  half 
hour  mentioned  by  the  agent  he  said:  "That's  her  lying  over 
on  the  farther  side." 

"She  looks  like  a  slaver  all  over,"  Martyn  said  as  he  stood 
up  to  examine  the  long  low  craft.  "  I  suppose  they  caught 
her  coming  out  of  a  river,  for  she  would  show  her  heels,  I 
should  guess,  to  any  cruiser  that  was  ever  built,  at  any  rate  in 
light  winds.  If  she  is  as  good  as  she  looks  she  is  just  the 
thing  for  us." 

When  they  reached  the  vessel  they  rowed  round  her  before 
going  on  board. 

"She  is  like  a  big  Surf ,"  Will  said  to  Horace;  "finer  in 


A    STARTLING    PROPOSAL  S3 

her  lines,  and  lighter.  She  ought  to  sail  like  a  witch.  I  see 
she  carried  four  guns  on  each  side." 

"Yes,  and  a  long  pivot-gun.  They  are  down  in  the  hold 
now.  She  was  sold  just  as  she  stood;  but  I  suppose  they  will 
be  of  no  use  to  you." 

"Some  of  them  may  be,"  Martyn  said  carelessly.  "If  we 
go  cruising  up  the  Mediterranean  it  is  just  as  well  to  have  a 
gun  or  two  on  board.  Now  let  us  look  at  her  accommoda- 
tion. 

"Yes,  she  is  a  very  roomy  craft  on  deck,"  he  went  on  as  he 
stepped  on  board.  "  She  has  a  wonderful  lot  of  beam,  much 
more  than  she  looks  to  have  when  you  see  her  on  the  water, 
owing  to  her  lines  being  so  fine." 

"She  has  lots  of  head-room  here,"  Horace  said  as  they  went 
below.      "I  thought  that  slavers  had  very  low  decks." 

"So  they  have,"  the  mate  said.  "I  expect  when  she  took 
a  cargo  on  board  they  rigged  up  a  deck  of  planks  here  so  as 
to  have  two  tiers  for  the  slaves;  that  would  give  them  about 
three  foot  three  to  each  tier." 

They  spent  over  two  hours  on  board.  Will  Martyn  ex- 
amined everything  most  carefully,  prodding  the  planks  and 
timbers  with  his  knife,  going  down  into  the  hold  and  prying 
into  the  state  of  the  timbers  there,  getting  into  the  boat,  to 
examine  the  stern-post  and  rudder,  and  afterwards  overhauling 
a  good  deal  of  the  gear.  The  inspection  was  in  all  respects 
satisfactory. 

"She  will  do  if  the  price  will  do,"  he  said.  "How  much 
do  they  want  for  her?  " 

"He  paid  fifteen  hundred  at  the  dockyard  sale,"  the  agent 
said;  "that  is  ten  pound  a  ton,  with  all  her  gear,  fittings,  and 
so  on,  thrown  in.  As  you  see,  there  is  the  cabin  furniture, 
and  so  on,  all  complete,  except  the  paint.  There  needn't  be 
a  penny  laid  out  on  her." 

"  Well,  how  much  will  he  take  off?  "  Martyn  said.  "  Fifteen 
hundred  was  anyone's  price,  and  as  she  don't  suit  him,  she 
won't  suit  many  people.     If  he  is  likely  to  have  her  on  his 


84  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

hands  any  time,  eating  her  head  off  and  losing  value,  he  ought 
to  be  glad  to  take  anything  near  what  he  gave  for  her.  Well, 
frankly,  how  much  will  he  take  off?  Business  is  business.  I 
have  admitted  the  boat  will  suit  me;  now  what  is  the  limit 
you  are  authorized  to  take?" 

"  He  will  take  two  hundred  less.  It  is  a  ridiculously  low 
price." 

"Of  course  it  is,"  Will  agreed.  "But  shipping  at  present 
is  a  drug  in  the  market,  and  this  ship  is  practically  fit  for 
nothing  but  a  yacht  or  the  Levant  trade.  I  expect  I  could  get 
her  a  couple  of  hundred  pounds  cheaper  if  I  held  off.  What 
do  you  think,  Horace?  " 

"I  don't  think  it  would  be  fair  to  knock  down  the  price 
lower  than  that,"  Horace  said. 

"It  is  fair  to  get  a  thing  as  cheap  as  you  can.  If  you  try 
to  get  it  for  less  than  he  will  sell  it  for  you  don't  get  it,  that 
is  all.  He  is  not  obliged  to  sell,  and  you  are  not  obliged  to 
buy.  Still,  the  price  is  a  very  reasonable  one,  and  we  will 
take  her  at  that.  You  have  full  authority  to  sell,  I  suppose, 
without  reference  to  your  principal?  " 

"Yes." 

"Very  well,  then,  we  will  go  to  your  office.  Mr.  Beveridge 
will  give  you  a  cheque  for  thirteen  hundred  pounds,  and  you 
shall  hand  over  possession." 

"Good.  It  is  eleven  o'clock  now,  Johnson,"  he  said  to  the 
care-taker.  "  Here  is  your  money  up  to  to-night,  but  from 
twelve  o'clock  to-day  Mr.  Martyn  takes  possession  as  agent  for 
the  owners,  so  you  will  take  your  orders  from  him." 

"You  can  go  on  as  usual,"  Will  said.  "We  will  pay  you 
from  twelve  o'clock,  so  you  will  make  a  half-day's  pay  by  the 
change." 


FITTING   OUT  85 


CHAPTER   V 


FITTING    OUT 


THE  cheque  for  the  payment  of  the  Creole  was  filled  up  and 
handed  over,  the  agent  giving  a  formal  receipt  and  pos- 
session of  the  vessel,  and  undertaking  to  sign  the  necessary 
papers  as  soon  as  they  could  be  drawn  out. 

"You  are  evidently  lucky  about  ships,"  William  Martyn 
said  as  he  left  the  agent's  office  with  Horace.  "You  have  got 
a  little  wonder  in  the  Surf,  and  there  is  no  doubt  about  the 
Creole  being  a  bargain.  When  the  war  was  going  on  she 
would  have  been  snapped  up  at  double  the  price,  and  would 
have  been  cheap  at  that.  Now  the  first  thing  to  do  is  to  get 
first  and  second  mates.  Directly  I  have  got  them  I  can  put 
a  gang  of  riggers  on  board.  I  will  go  to  the  Naval  Club,  and 
see  the  list  of  the  officers  on  board  the  ships  here.  I  am 
pretty  sure  to  know  some  of  them,  and  shall  find  out  from 
them  whether  there  are  any  of  my  old  messmates  down  here. 
If  they  don't  know  of  any,  we  might  hear  of  men  to  suit  at  the 
Club.  There  are  always  plenty  of  men  here  and  at  Ports- 
mouth waiting  about  on  the  chance  of  meeting  some  officer 
they  have  served  under  and  getting  him  to  put  in  a  word  for 
them  at  the  Admiralty." 

"I  will  walk  down  with  you  to  the  Club,  but  I  won't  go  in 
with  you;  one  is  only  in  the  way  when  people  who  know  each 
other  are  talking.  And  besides,  Martyn,  don't  you  think 
before  you  do  anything  you  ought  to  see  about  your  clothes?  " 

"  Of  course  I  ought ;  I  never  gave  the  matter  a  thought 
before.  But  I  certainly  could  not  put  my  foot  on  the  quarter- 
deck of  one  of  His  Majesty's  ships  in  this  turn-out.  No. 
The  first  thing  to  do  is  to  drop  into  my  father's  agent  to  draw 
some  money.  Then  I  will  go  into  a  slop-shop  and  get  a  suit. 
I  know  a  place  where  they  keep  really  decent  togs.  A  man 
often  has  to  join  in  a  hurry,  and  wants  a  fit-out  at  half  an 


86  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

hour's  notice.  Then  I  can  order  the  rest  of  the  things  at  the 
tailor's  I  used  to  get  my  clothes  from.  'Pon  my  word,  now 
you  speak  of  it,  I  am  ashamed  to  be  going  out  in  these  things. 
They  were  an  old  suit  that  I  put  on  when  bad  weather  set  in, 
and  they  have  shrunk  so  that  the  sleeves  don't  come  half-way 
down  to  the  wrists,  and  the  trousers  are  up  to  the  ankles.  As 
a  master's  mate  it  didn't  matter  so  very  much,  for  masters' 
mates  are  very  often  out  at  elbows,  but  as  commander  of  the 
Creole  it  is  a  different  thing  altogether." 

Martyn  was  lucky  in  picking  up  the  undress  uniform  of  a 
lieutenant  that  just  fitted  him. 

"  I  can  let  you  have  it  at  that  price,  because  I  got  it  a 
bargain,"  the  man  said.  "The  owner  came  in  here  a  few 
weeks  ago  with  a  man  beside  him.  He  had  just  come  down 
to  join  his  ship,  which  was  to  sail  in  a  few  hours,  and  as  he 
stepped  off  the  coach  was  served  with  a  writ  by  a  Jew  he  had 
borrowed  money  of  two  or  three  years  before.  It  was  only  a 
few  pounds,  but  to  make  up  the  sum  he  had  to  sell  some  of 
his  things,  and  this  suit  was  among  them." 

"  And  nicely  you  ground  him  down  in  the  price,  I  have  no 
doubt,"  Martyn  growled.  "However,  I  have  got  the  benefit 
of  it.  Now,  Horace,  I  can  show  at  the  Club.  Just  take  your 
knife  out  and  cut  this  strap  off  the  shoulder.  I  can't  go  about 
as  a  full-fledged  lieutenant,  though  I  have  passed." 

They  were  walking  up  the  main  street  when  a  voice  ex- 
claimed: 

"Hullo,  Martyn!  is  that  you?"  and  a  young  officer  shook 
him  warmly  by  the  hand. 

"  Why,  Dacent,  this  is  luck.  I  am  glad  to  see  you  indeed. 
It  is  three  years  since  we  ran  against  each  other  last;  five 
since  we  served  together  in  the  Nonpareil.  What  are  you 
doing?  " 

"  I  am  third  in  the  flagship  here.  What  are  you  doing?  I 
met  O'Connor  the  other  day;  he  told  me  he  had  run  across 
you  at  Malta,  and  that  you  had  gone  into  the  merchant  ser- 
vice like  so  many  other  of  our  old  friends." 


FITTING   OUT  87 

"  That  was  so,  Dacent.  It  was  of  no  use  kicking  my  heels 
on  shore  when  I  hadn't  the  ghost  of  a  chance  of  getting 
appointed  to  a  ship.  So  I  had  to  swallow  my  pride  and  ship 
in  a  merchantman.  We  were  wrecked  at  the  back  of  the 
Wight  in  the  storm  last  week,  and  I  have  had  the  luck  to  get 
a  fresh  appointment,  and  that  is  what  I  am  here  for.  I  was 
just  on  my  way  to  the  Club  to  see  if  I  could  find  any  of  my  old 
chums.  You  are  just  the  fellow  to  help  me.  But  first  let  me 
introduce  Mr.  Beveridge.  He  is  the  son  of  my  owner.  Hah 
an  hour  ago  he  completed  the  purchase  of  the  craft  that  I  am 
to  command.  She  is  a  beauty.  I  don't  know  whether  you 
know  her.  She  is  called  the  Creole,  a  schooner  of  a  hundred 
and  fifty  tons.     She  is  lying  up  the  river." 

"I  know  her  well  enough,"  Dacent  said,  as  he  shook  hands 
with  Horace.  "She  was  brought  in  here  the  week  after  I 
joined.  I  thought  she  was  as  pretty  a  looking  craft  as  I  ever 
set  eyes  on.  I  congratulate  you,  old  fellow.  There  are  not 
many  things  that  you  won't  be  able  to  show  your  heels  to. 
But  what  line  is  she  going  to  be  in?  She  would  make  a  fine 
craft  for  the  Levant  trade." 

"That  is  just  where  we  are  going,  Dacent,  but  not  to  trade. 
I  will  tell  you  what  we  are  going  to  do,  but  it  must  be  kept 
dark.  I  don't  know  whether  they  might  not  look  upon  it  as 
a  breach  of  the  neutrality  laws.  Mr.  Beveridge  is  an  enthu- 
siast for  the  cause  of  Greece,  and  we  are  going  to  take  out  a 
cargo  of  guns  and  ammunition,  and  then  we  shall  hoist  the 
Greek  flag,  and  do  a  little  fighting  on  our  own  account  with 
the  Turks  as  a  Greek  privateer." 

"  By  Jove,  I  envy  you,  Martyn.  That  is  a  thousand  times 
better  than  sticking  in  Plymouth  Sound  with  nothing  to  do  but 
to  see  the  men  holy-stone  the  deck,  and  fetching  and  carrying 
messages.     Now,  what  is  it  I  can  do  for  you?  " 

"Well,  in  the  first  place,  I  want  a  couple  of  officeis;  for 
choice,  I  would  have  one  who  has  passed,  and  could  take  the 
command  in  case  anything  happened  to  me.  I  don't  care 
whether  the  second  is  a  mate  or  a  midshipman  who  has  pretty 
nearly  served  his  time." 


88  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

"  I  know  just  the  man  for  you,  for  your  first.  There  is 
Miller — you  remember  him?" 

"Of  course;  I  was  with  him  in  the  Minerva  frigate  in  the 
West  Indies.     He  was  a  capital  fellow.     Is  he  to  be  had?  " 

"Yes;  I  saw  him  only  yesterday.  He  has  been  two  years 
out  of  a  berth,  and  no  chance  of  getting  a  ship,  and  he  was 
looking  out  for  a  berth  on  board  a  merchantman,  but  he  had 
not  heard  of  one  when  I  saw  him.  He  gave  me  his  address; 
here  it  is — the  Anchor  Inn;  it  is  a  little  place  not  far  from 
the  dock  gates.  I  expect  Jim  has  no  money  to  spare.  His 
father  is  a  clergyman  near  Falmouth.  I  asked  him  why  he 
didn't  look  for  a  ship  there.  He  laughed,  and  said  he  didn't 
mind  shipping  into  the  merchant  service  anywhere  else;  but 
he  shouldn't  like  to  do  it  so  near  home,  after  swaggering 
about  there  in  the  king's  uniform." 

"  I  will  go  down  at  once.  It  is  just  one  o'clock,  and  we  are 
likely  to  catch  him  in." 

"Well,  will  you  and  your  friend  dine  with  me  at  the  Club 
at  six  o'clock,  Martyn?  We  can  chat  there  better  than  we 
can  on  board,  and  we  have  lots  to  tell  each  other  since  we 
last  parted." 

The  invitation  was  accepted,  and  then  Martyn  and  Horace 
set  off  to  find  the  Anchor. 

"There  is  one  thing  I  have  not  asked  you,"  the  former 
said,  as  they  went  along.  "  How  about  prize-money,  because 
you  know  that  makes  a  good  deal  of  difference.  I  don't  sup- 
pose there  will  be  much  to  be  got,  because  there  are  not  many 
craft  flying  the  Turkish  flag,  and  the  seas  will  be  swarming 
with  Greek  craft  who  are  half-pirates  even  in  time  of  peace. 
Still  we  may  capture  a  Turkish  man-of-war  brig  or  something 
of  that  sort,  and  she  may  have  treasure  on  board  such  as  pay 
for  the  troops.  I  suppose  we  should  share  according  to  the 
ordinary  privateer  scale." 

"Certainly,"  Horace  said.  "My  father  has  no  idea  of 
making  money  by  the  thing,  and  I  can  certainly  promise  that 
he  will  agree  to  the  usual  scale  whatever  it  is." 


FITTING   OUT  89 

"That  is  right.  I  thought  that  it  would  be  so,  and,  indeed, 
although  officers  might  go  without,  you  would  hardly  get  men 
to  risk  their  lives  unless  there  was  a  chance  of  prize-money." 

"It  would  not  be  fair  to  ask  them  to  do  so,"  Horace  said. 
"Of  course  that  would  be  understood.  All  these  sort  of 
arrangements  are  in  your  hands.  My  father  particularly  said 
so;  he  really  knows  nothing  about  these  matters.  You  must 
make  all  these  arrangements  just  as  if  you  were  the  owner, 
and  please  arrange  what  you  consider  liberal  terms  to  every- 
one. My  father  has  made  up  his  mind  to  spend  a  certain  sum 
of  money  which  he  has  long  laid  by  for  the  purpose,  and  I  am 
sure  we  are  more  likely  to  succeed  in  helping  the  Greeks  if 
everyone  on  board  is  quite  contented  and  happy.  Oh,  there 
is  the  Inn;  I  won't  go  in  with  you.  You  had  much  better 
talk  it  over  with  him  by  yourself." 

Ten  minutes  later  Martyn  came  out  with  a  short  square- 
built  young  fellow  of  about  his  own  age,  with  a  good-humoured 
merry  face,  which  was  at  present  beaming  with  satisfaction. 

"That  is  all  settled,"  Martyn  said.  "Mr.  Beveridge,  let  me 
introduce  to  you  Mr.  James  Miller,  first  lieutenant  of  your 
father's  schooner,  the  Creole." 

"It  is  a  perfect  godsend,"  Miller  said,  as  he  shook  hands 
with  Horace.  "  I  began  to  despair  of  getting  a  ship  here, 
and  I  am  precious  glad  now  I  didn't,  for  I  should  have  been 
mad  if  I  had  met  Martyn,  and  found  I  had  missed  this  chance. 
It  will  be  glorious  fun,  and  it  looked  as  if  one  were  never 
going  to  have  a  chance  of  that  sort  of  thing  again." 

"And  he  knows  of  a  young  fellow  who  will  suit  us  for  our 
second,"  Martyn  said,  "Jack  Tarleton.  He  was  with  us  in 
the  Minerva.  I  remember  him  only  as  a  jolly  little  mid.  I 
had  just  passed  then,  and  he  was  the  youngest;  but  he  lives 
close  to  Miller,  and  he  says  he  has  grown  up  into  a  fine  young 
fellow.  He  is  about  nineteen  now.  He  has  not  passed  yet, 
for  he  was  laid  on  the  shelf  four  months  before  his  time  was 
up,  and  not  having  passed,  of  course  he  is  even  worse  off  than 
either  of  us.     Not  that  it  matters  so  much  to  him,  for  his  father 


90  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

has  an  estate ;  but  as  Jack  is  the  second  son,  and  loves  his 
profession,  he  is  so  anxious  to  be  afloat  again  that  he  told 
Miller  the  other  day  he  would  ship  before  the  mast  if  he  could 
not  get  a  berth  before  long.  Miller  will  write  to  him  this 
afternoon,  and  he  will  be  here  to-morrow  night  or  next  morn- 
ing. I  have  asked  him  to  come  round  and  have  lunch  with  us 
at  the  Falcon.  Mr.  Beveridge  and  his  father  sail  with  us, 
Miller,  in  the  double  capacity,  as  I  understand,  of  owners  and 
fighting  men." 

Horace  laughed.  "  In  the  first  place,  I  am  not  going  to  be 
called  Mr.  Beveridge  or  Mr.  Anything,"  he  said.  "  I  shall  be 
regarded  as  a  sort  of  third  officer,  and  do  my  work  regularly 
while  we  are  at  sea.  I  know  a  little  about  sailing  already," 
he  said  to  Miller,  "so  I  sha'n't  be  quite  a  green  hand." 

"No,  indeed,"  Martyn  said.  "Horace,  if  I  am  to  call  him 
so,  has  got  a  fifteen-ton  yacht  I  picked  up  for  him,  and  a 
first-rate  little  craft  she  is.  He  went  out  in  a  big  gale  last 
winter,  and  rescued  the  crew  of  a  wreck,  the  Celadon." 

"I  saw  it  in  the  paper,"  Miller  said  warmly,  "and  thought 
what  a  plucky  thing  it  was.  That  is  capital.  Then  you  will 
be  like  one  of  ourselves.  Well,  what  are  you  going  to  do 
first,  Martyn?  " 

"  First  we  are  going  to  lunch.  Then  you  will  write  your 
letter  to  Tarleton  and  post  it.  After  that  we  will  charter  a 
boat  and  go  up  and  look  at  the  Creole  again.  You  haven't 
seen  her  yet,  and  we  haven't  seen  her  since  the  purchase  was 
concluded,  and  a  craft  always  looks  different  when  you  know 
she  is  yours.  After  making  an  overhaul  we  will  go  ashore  to 
the  nearest  yard  and  arrange  for  her  to  be  docked,  and  her 
bottom  cleaned  and  scrubbed;  I  expect  it  wants  it  pretty 
badly.  That  will  be  enough  for  to-day.  As  soon  as  she  is 
in  the  water  again  we  will  set  a  gang  of  riggers  at  work.  I 
shall  take  charge  of  that  part  of  the  business,  and  I  will  leave 
it  to  you  to  hunt  up  a  crew.  We  have  got  a  boatswain.  At 
least  I  have  no  doubt  we  have." 

"How  many  men  are  you  going  to  take,  Martyn?" 


FITTING    OUT  91 

"She  mounts  four  guns  each  side  and  a  long  Tom — I  don't 
know  what  the  metal  is  yet — and  she  is  heavily  sparred.  Of 
course  she  hasn't  got  her  topmasts  in  place,  but  her  masts 
are  very  long,  and  I  have  no  doubt  she  shows  a  good  spread 
of  sail;  those  craft  always  do.  We  shall  want  a  strong  crew, 
for,  if  we  fight  at  all,  it  will  be  against  craft  a  good  deal  bigger 
than  ourselves.  There  is  any  amount  of  room  on  the  main 
deck,  where  they  carried  the  slaves.  Of  course  we  needn't 
settle  at  present,  but  I  should  say  we  ought  to  carry  from  forty 
to  fifty  men." 

"  I  think  we  ought  certainly  to  have  a  strong  crew,"  Horace 
said,  "so  as  to  be  able  to  land  a  strong  party  if  we  wanted  to; 
the  extra  expense  would  be  of  no  consequence." 

"We  must  pick  our  men,  Miller — smart  active  fellows,  and, 
of  course,  men-of-war's  for  choice.  If  we  can't  get  enough 
here,  we  will  sail  her  round  to  Portsmouth  and  fill  up  there. 
There  ought  to  be  plenty  of  prime  seamen  to  be  had.  They 
would  jump  at  the  chance  of  sailing  in  such  a  craft  as  ours." 

Miller  was  delighted  with  the  ship,  and  they  now  especially 
examined  the  cabin  arrangements.  The  saloon  ran  across  the 
stern  of  the  ship.  It  was  handsomely  fitted  up  in  mahogany. 
Leading  off  this,  on  the  port  side,  was  a  large  cabin  that  had 
evidently  been  the  captain's.  This,  of  course,  would  be  Mr. 
Beveridge's.  On  the  starboard  side  were  three  cabins.  Next 
to  these  was  the  steward's  pantry  and  cabin;  and  facing  this, 
on  the  port  side,  two  other  state-rooms. 

"  It  could  not  have  been  better  if  it  had  been  built  for  us," 
Miller  said.  "There  are  three  cabins  on  the  starboard  side. 
Horace  will  take  one  of  the  three,  I  suppose,  and  that  will 
leave  a  spare  cabin  in  case  we  take  a  passenger  we  are  likely 
to  want." 

"What  are  you  thinking  of,  Miller?  " 

"  I  was  thinking  that  as  we  are  going  to  fight,  it  is  not  by 
any  means  impossible  that  some  of  us  or  the  men  may  be 
wounded." 

"I  should  certainly  say  it  was  quite  possible,"  Martyn 
laughed. 


92  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

"Well,  you  see  as  long  as  it  is  only  a  clip  from  a  cutlass  or 
a  flesh,  wound  through  the  arm,  I  fancy  we  might  patch  it  up 
between  us  with  a  bit  of  plaster  and  a  bandage;  but  if  it  comes 
to  an  amputation  or  getting  a  bullet  out  of  the  body,  or  any- 
thing of  that  sort,  who  is  going  to  do  it?  " 

"  By  Jove  !  you  are  right,  Miller.  I  had  not  thought  of  that. 
I  am  afraid  we  shall  have  to  take  a  surgeon  with  us.  It  would 
never  do  to  go  into  action  in  the  Levant,  where  there  is  no 
chance  of  finding  an  English  doctor,  without  having  at  least 
a  surgeon' s-mate  on  board." 

"Of  course  not,"  Horace  agreed;  "that  is  an  absolute 
necessity.     Will  you  see  about  it  at  once,  please." 

"There  is  no  difficulty  in  getting  surgeons,"  Martyn  said. 
"Of  course  young  fellows  who  have  just  done  walking  hospi- 
tals are  as  plentiful  as  peas;  but  we  had  better  get  hold  of  a 
man  who  has  been  knocking  about  for  a  few  years  in  the  navy, 
and  who  has  had  some  experience  in  gunshot  wounds.  There 
must  be  plenty  of  good  men  about,  for  they  have  suffered  just 
as  we  have  by  the  reduction.  I  will  speak  to  Dacent  about 
it  this  evening,  and  get  him  to  ask  one  of  the  naval  surgeons 
here  if  he  knows  a  man.  One  or  other  of  them  is  almost  sure 
to  do  so.  Well,  the  spare  cabin  will  be  for  him.  So  now  we 
are  fixed  completely." 

"  We  shall  have  to  take  off  a  little  bit  from  the  main  deck, 
because  my  father's  two  Greeks  will  certainly  come  with  us. 
Only  one  can  sleep  in  the  steward's  cabin,  so  we  shall  want  a 
small  cabin  for  the  other  and  a  place  for  cooking.  They  are 
first-rate  cooks,  both  of  them;  and  I  expect  they  will  under- 
take the  cooking  altogether  for  us." 

"That  can  very  easily  be  managed,"  Martyn  said.  "We 
can  knock  a  door  through  this  bulkhead,  and  run  another  bulk- 
head up  across  the  deck,  seven  or  eight  feet  farther  forward. 
I  have  not  forgotten  that  Greek's  cooking;  and  if  we  live  on 
board  this  craft  as  you  did  on  the  Surf,  I  can  tell  you,  Miller, 
we  needn't  envy  an  admiral." 

"Well,  I  like  a  good  dinner,  I  must  own,  Martyn,  though  I 
can  do  with  salt-horse  if  necessary." 


FITTING   OUT  93 

"But  are  you  sure,  Horace,"  Martyn  said,  "that  your  father 
wouldn't  prefer  having  the  cabin  astern  all  to  yourselves? 
When  we  are  about  it  we  could  put  the  bulkhead  farther  for- 
ward, and  make  a  ward-room  for  us." 

"No,  I  am  sure  he  would  not  wish  that,"  Horace  said.  "I 
will  write  to  him  when  we  get  ashore  and  ask  him;  but  I  am 
sure  he  would  find  it  more  pleasant  our  being  all  together, 
and  it  would  be  much  better  for  him  than  being  by  himself. 
My  father  is  a  great  scholar,"  he  explained  to  Miller,  "and 
is  always  poring  over  books.  I  am  sure  it  will  do  him  a  lot 
of  good  getting  away  from  them  altogether  and  being  with 
people.  Besides,  that  private  cabin  of  his  is  a  good  size, 
and  there  will  be  plenty  of  room  for  him  to  have  a  table  and 
an  easy-chair  in  it  whenever  he  is  disposed  to  shut  himself  up. 
However,  I  will  hear  what  he  says." 

After  leaving  the  ship  a  visit  was  paid  to  one  of  the  ship- 
building yards,  and  arrangements  made  for  the  Creole  to 
be  brought  into  dock  at  high-tide.  On  getting  back  to  the 
inn  Horace  wrote  to  his  father  on  the  various  questions  that 
had  arisen,  and  then  to  Marco,  telling  him  to  come  over  by 
coach,  and  to  bring  Tom  Burdett  with  him.  They  then  went 
to  dine  at  the  club  with  Dacent,  who  entered  with  great  zest 
into  their  arrangements. 

"I  can't  tell  you  what  is  your  best  way  of  setting  about 
gettiag  the  arms;  but  I  should  say  go  to  Durncombe's.  They 
are  by  far  the  largest  ship-chandlers  here,  and  I  should  say 
that  they  could  supply  anything  from  an  anchor  to  a  tallow- 
dip.  They  must  have  fitted  out  innumerable  privateers,  and 
bought  up  the  stores  of  as  many  prizes.  They  may  not  be 
able  to  supply  you  with  as  many  small-arms  as  you  want;  but 
if  you  give  them  an  order  for  a  thousand  cannon,  I  have  not 
a  doubt  they  could  execute  it  in  twenty- four  hours,  and  that 
at  the  price  of  old  iron.  As  to  the  muskets,  they  could  no 
doubt  collect  a  big  lot  here,  and  get  more  still  from  Ports- 
mouth. Those  of  course  would  be  principally  ship's  muskets, 
no  longer  wanted  or  taken  from  prizes.     I  don't  suppose  they 


94  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

would  get  enough,  and  of  course  you  would  want  them  in  fair 
condition;  but  they  would  put  advertisements  for  them  in  the 
Birmingham  papers,  or,  likely  enough,  would  know  firms  in 
Birmingham  who  had  bought  up  muskets  sold  out  of  the  army." 

"What  do  they  buy  them  for?  "  Horace  asked. 

"  Oh,  they  contract  for  the  supply  of  those  South  American 
States,  for  trade  in  Africa  and  the  East,  or  for  the  supply  of 
the  armies  of  native  princes  in  India.  I  think,  if  I  were  you, 
I  would  not  go  to  him  direct,  but  would  get  the  agent  you  got 
the  Creole  from  to  undertake  it,  and  get  the  terms  settled.  He 
would  get  them  a  good  bit  cheaper  than  you  could." 

"No  doubt  he  would,"  Martyn  agreed,  " especially  if  we 
agreed  to  pay  him  so  much  for  getting  it,  instead  of  so  much 
commission.  When  a  man  gets  a  commission  he  has  no  in- 
terest in  keeping  the  price  down;  just  the  contrary.  I  will 
ask  him  casually,  to  begin  with,  what  is  the  cost  of  muskets 
in  fair  condition,  and  at  what  price  we  could  pick  up  guns — 
say  six,  eight,  and  twelve  pounders — complete,  with  car- 
riages." 

"I  don't  know  about  the  carriages,  Martyn;  but  I  know  the 
guns  fetch  less  by  a  good  bit  than  their  weight  of  old  iron. 
They  cost  more  to  break  up,  in  fact,  than  they  are  worth;  and 
they  are  using  them  for  posts,  and  things  of  that  sort,  for  the 
sake  of  getting  rid  of  them.  I  should  say  that  you  could  get 
a  couple  of  hundred  guns  of  those  sizes  to-morrow  for  a  pound 
apiece,  and  I  believe  that  you  might  almost  get  them  for  the 
trouble  of  carting  away,  for  they  are  simply  so  much  lumber. 
Powder  is  a  glut  in  the  market  too.  I  should  say  hundreds  of 
tons  have  been  emptied  into  the  sea  in  this  port  alone,  for 
when  the  merchant  skippers  found  they  no  longer  required  to 
carry  it,  it  was  cheaper  for  them  to  throw  it  overboard  than 
to  get  rid  of  it  in  any  other  way." 

When  they  returned  to  the  Falcon  that  evening  they  found 
Miller  had  shifted  his  quarters  there  from  the  little  inn  in 
which  he  had  been  staying,  and  two  days  later  Jack  Tarleton 
also  arrived  there.     He  was  a  good-looking   young  fellow, 


FITTING   OUT  95 

nearly  six  feet  in  height,  slight  at  present,  but  likely  to  fill 
out,  with  a  somewhat  quiet  manner,  but,  as  Horace  soon 
found,  a  quick  appreciation  of  the  humorous  side  of  things 
and  a  good  deal  of  quiet  fun.  On  the  same  day  Marco  ar- 
rived with  Tom  Burdett,  who  was  delighted  when  Horace 
disclosed  the  project  to  him. 

"I  should  think  I  would  like  to  go,  Mr.  Horace.  Why, 
bless  you,  I  have  been  feeling  almost  as  if  I  was  rusting  out 
at  Seaport,  except  when  you  were  at  home.  Why,  it  will  be 
like  giving  one  a  fresh  lease  of  life  to  get  at  one's  own  work 
again." 

He  was  at  once  installed  on  board  the  Creole,  which  on 
that  day  had  been  let  out  of  the  dock  again  with  her  copper 
scrubbed  until  it  shone  like  gold.  Miller  had  as  yet  had 
no  time  to  see  about  the  men,  and  Tom  at  once  undertook  this 
part  of  the  business. 

"  I  know  every  tavern  down  by  the  waterside  and  the  places 
where  men  are  likely  to  be  found.  I  will  soon  pick  you  up 
some  prime  hands.  If  I  can't  get  enough  of  them  here,  I  will 
take  a  run  to  Bristol.  There  is  a  big  trade  there,  and  there 
will  be  plenty  of  men-of-war's-men  to  be  had  for  the  asking 
for  such  a  job  as  this." 

"How  about  Seaport,  Tom?  "  Horace  asked. 

"Well,  we  will  take  Dick;  but  there  are  not  many  I  would 
care  about  having  from  there.  They  are  good  enough  in  their 
fishing-boats,  but  I  would  rather  have  men  who  are  accustomed 
to  bigger  craft.  Besides,  though  fishermen  are  good  sailors 
in  some  ways,  they  are  not  accustomed  to  discipline,  and  are 
always  slovenly  in  their  way  of  doing  things.  Besides,  if  I 
persuaded  young  fellows  to  come  from  there,  and  any  of  them 
got  killed,  their  fathers  and  mothers  would  look  black  at  me 
when  I  got  back.  No,  I  don't  think  I  will  have  anyone  but 
Dick." 

By  this  time  a  letter  had  come  from  Mr.  Beveridge  in  answer 
to  Horace's  letter. 

"I  quite  agree  with  you,"  he  said,  "that  the  officers  should 


96  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

be  paid  fairly.  I  see  that,  as  you  say,  it  is  not  a  thing  that 
you  could  very  well  arrange  with  them.  Will  you  tell  Mr. 
Martyn,  from  me,  that  the  terms  I  propose  are  twenty  guineas 
a  month  for  him,  eighteen  for  the  second  officer,  and  fifteen 
for  the  third;  and  that,  in  case  of  any  of  them  losing  a  limb 
or  being  disabled,  I  shall  settle  upon  them  a  pension  the  same 
as  that  to  which  they  would  have  been  entitled  at  their  rank 
in  the  navy  in  the  same  case.  The  ship  appears  to  me  to  be 
wonderfully  cheap.  I  knew  nothing  about  it,  but  quite  ex- 
pected that  it  would  cost  three  times  as  much.  Certainly  I 
should  not  wish  for  them  to  have  a  separate  cabin.  It  will  be 
much  more  pleasant  for  me,  if  not  disagreeable  to  them,  for 
us  to  live  together.  As  for  what  you  say  about  prize-money, 
tell  Mr.  Martyn  to  arrange  as  he  proposes,  according  to  the 
ordinary  usage  in  privateers.  It  is  a  matter  to  which  I  have 
given  no  thought,  but  he  shall  give  me  the  particulars  when 
we  meet.  As  you  know,  I  have  no  intention  of  making  profit 
out  of  the  enterprise." 

Two  days  later  Martyn  told  Horace  that  Dacent  had  intro- 
duced him  to  one  of  the  surgeons,  who  knew  a  young  doctor 
who  would,  he  thought,  suit.  "His  name  is  Macfarlane;  he 
is,  of  course,  a  Scotchman — most  of  the  naval  doctors  are 
either  Irish  or  Scotch.  He  sailed  with  him  as  surgeon 's-mate 
in  a  large  frigate,  where  they  had  a  good  deal  of  experience 
in  wounds,  and  he  has  a  high  idea  of  his  skill.  He  is  a  very 
quiet  sort  of  fellow,  but  a  pleasant  messmate.  He  has  been 
full  surgeon  for  some  time  now.  His  ship  was  paid  off  a  fort- 
night ago,  and  the  man  who  told  me  of  him  had  a  letter  from 
him  a  few  days  since,  saying  that,  as  he  had  no  interest  he 
thought  that  he  had  but  little  chance  of  getting  afloat  again, 
and  asking  him  to  let  him  know  if  he  heard  of  any  opening, 
either  ashore  or  in  an  Indiaman.  He  thought  he  would  suit 
us  very  well,  so  I  said  that  I  would  speak  to  you  about  it." 
"I  should  think  that  will  be  just  the  thing,  Martyn." 
"Very  well,  then,  I  will  see  the  surgeon  to-morrow,  and  get 
him  to  write  and  offer  him  the  berth  at  the  regular  naval  rate 


FITTING   OUT  97 

of  pay.  Of  course  we  sha'n't  want  him  to  join  till  we  are 
ready  to  sail." 

Some  days  later  a  reply  was  received,  accepting  the  berth. 

For  the  next  fortnight  work  proceeded  rapidly.  Stores  of 
all  kinds  for  the  voyage  were  brought  on  board  and  stowed 
away.  Sixty  cannon  were  stowed  down  in  the  hold,  with  thirty 
carriages  for  them,  the  latter  taking  up  too  much  room  to  be 
carried  for  the  whole  of  the  guns.  Eight  twelve-pounders,  in 
place  of  the  eight-pounders  before  carried  by  her,  and  a  long 
eighteen-pounder  were  placed  in  the  hold  in  readiness  to 
mount  on  deck  when  they  reached  the  Levant.  The  riggers 
and  painters  had  finished  their  work,  the  decks  had  been 
planed  and  holy-stoned  until  they  were  spotlessly  white,  and 
the  tall  spars  and  gear  were  all  in  their  place.  The  guns  had 
cost  only  about  as  much  as  Miller  had  said,  and  they  could 
have  obtained  any  number  at  the  same  price.  The  agent  had 
made  a  contract  with  the  ship's  chandlers  for  five  thousand 
muskets  complete  with  bayonets,  in  good  order,  and  delivered 
on  board,  at  ten  shillings  each.  Some  five  hundred  of  these 
had  been  collected,  and — after  passing  muster,  by  an  armourer 
sergeant  Martyn  engaged  for  the  purpose — put  on  board.  The 
rest  were  to  be  sent  by  canal  from  Birmingham  to  Liverpool, 
and  thence  shipped  round  to  Plymouth.  Five  tons  of  gun- 
powder in  barrels,  twenty  tons  of  shot  for  the  cannon,  and  two 
hundred  thousand  rounds  of  ammunition  for  the  muskets  were 
also  arranged  for.  These  were  to  be  shipped  at  the  last 
moment  from  magazines  at  the  mouth  of  the  Sound. 

Below,  everything  had  been  done  to  make  the  cabins  as 
comfortable  as  possible,  and  Dacent  declared  that  she  was 
altogether  too  neat  and  comfortable  for  anything  but  an  ad- 
miral's yacht.  Tom  Burdett  had  picked  up  at  Plymouth 
twenty-five  smart  sailors,  all  of  whom  had  served  in  king's 
ships;  and  then,  going  to  Bristol,  had  brought  as  many  more 
from  there.     Uniforms,  closely  resembling  those  of  men-of- 

l  of  the 
straw  hat  they  wore  red  woollen  caps.     The  officers  had  only 


98  JN   GREEK   WATERS 

to  exchange  their  navy  buttons  for  others  with  an  anchor  to 
be  complete;  Horace  had  donned  similar  attire. 

It  was  just  three  weeks  after  Horace  left  home  that  he  wrote 
to  his  father  saying  that  all  was  now  in  readiness,  and  that 
they  could  sail  within  an  hour  of  his  arrival.  They  were  at 
once  going  out  to  take  their  powder  on  board,  and  would  re- 
main at  anchor  off  the  magazines,  and  that  he  himself  should 
be  at  the  Falcon  when  it  was  time  for  the  first  coach  to  arrive 
after  the  receipt  of  his  letter,  and  should  remain  there  until 
his  father  came.  Mr.  Macfarlane,  the  surgeon,  arrived  by  the 
coach  that  evening,  and  was  put  down  at  the  Falcon.  Martyn 
and  Horace  went  out  when  they  heard  the  coach  stop. 

"That  is  the  doctor,  for  a  guinea,"  Martyn  said,  as  a  tall 
bony  man  climbed  down  from  the  roof,  and  began  very  care- 
fully to  look  after  his  luggage. 

"I  think  you  must  be  Doctor  Macfarlane?"  he  said,  going 
up  to  him.      "My  name  is  Martyn." 

"I  am  very  glad  to  see  you,  Captain  Martyn,"  the  doctor 
said;  "I  take  it  as  a  sign  that  I  shall  have  a  pleasant  time 
that  my  commander  should  meet  me  as  I  get  off  the  coach." 

"  I  am  captain  only  by  courtesy,  and  shall  hardly  consider 
that  I  have  got  my  brevet  rank  till  we  hoist  the  flag  to-morrow. 
This  is  Mr.  Beveridge,  the  owner's  son,  he  will  sail  with  us  as 
third  officer.  I  have  ordered  a  room  for  you,  doctor.  Boots 
will  carry  your  things  up." 

"Thank  you;  I  will  see  to  them  myself,  and  join  you  in  the 
coffee-room.  Tarn  not  fond  of  trusting  to  other  folk;"  and 
he  followed  the  servant  upstairs  with  his  baggage. 

Martyn  laughed  as  he  went  into  the  coffee-room  with  Horace. 
"Cautious  you  see,  Horace,  and  right  enough  to  be  so;  I 
think  we  shall  like  him.  There  is  a  pleasant  tone  in  his 
voice,  and  I  have  no  doubt  he  will  turn  out  a  good  fellow, 
though,  perhaps,  rather  a  character." 

The  doctor  soon  came  down. 

"  Eh,  man,"  he  said,  "but  it  is  weary  work  sitting  with  your 
legs  doubled  up  all  those  hours  on  a  coach.    Four-and-twenty 


FITTING    OUT  99 

hours  it  is  since  I  got  up  at  Salisbury.  And  so,  Mr.  Bever- 
idge,  we  are  going  out  to  fight  for  the  Greeks.  I  misdoubt. 
sir,  if  they  will  do  much  fighting  for  themselves.  I  was  three 
years  east  of  Malta.  There  is  good  in  them,  we  may  take  it 
that  there  is  good  in  them,  but  it  is  very  difficult  to  get  at;  at 
least  that  v. as  my  experience." 

"They  have  not  had  much  chance,  I  think,  doctor,  so  far." 

"And  how  large  is  your  ship,  Captain  Martyn?  "  the  doctor 
said,  changing  the  subject  suddenly. 

"They  call  her  a  hundred  and  fifty,  but  she  has  a  light 
draft  of  water  and  would  not  carry  that,  yet  she  has  excel- 
lent accommodation  below,  as  you  will  say  when  you  see  her 
to-morrow." 

The  conversation  then  turned  on  naval  matters,  and  the 
stations  and  ships  that  both  Martyn  and  the  doctor  knew;  and 
when  they  separated  for  the  evening  Martyn  and  Horace  agreed 
that  the  doctor  was  likely  to  be  a  pleasant  acquisition  to  their 
party. 

Marco  had  been  intrusted  with  the  entire  charge  of  laying 
in  stores  for  the  cabin,  and  these  had  arrived  in  such  profusion 
that  Will  Martyn  had  demanded  whether  he  was  victualling  the 
ship  with  c\.bin  stores  for  a  voyage  round  the  world. 

It  had  been  given  out  that  the  ship  was  bound  for  Lisbon, 
but  the  news  of  her  destination  had  gradually  leaked  out, 
although  pains  had  been  taken  to  get  the  military  stores  on 
board  as  quietly  as  possible.  Sympathy  with  Greece  was  gen- 
eral, however,  and  although  the  young  officers  were  quietly 
joked  by  their  naval  acquaintances  as  to  their  cargo  for  Por- 
tugal, no  official  inquiries  were  made  on  the  subject. 

"I  sha'n't  be  sorry,  Horace,"  Will  Martyn  said,  as  they 
were  rowed  off  in  the  gig  for  the  last  time  before  getting  up 
anchor,  "when  we  get  some  of  our  heavy  stuff  out  of  her. 
One  way  or  another  she  will  have  a  hundred  and  twenty  tons 
of  stuff  on  board  when  we  have  taken  in  our  powder,  and 
though  I  don't  at  all  say  that  she  will  be  overladen  she  wiil  be 
a  foot  too  low  in  the  water  to  please  me,  and  she  wouldn't  be 
able  to  do  her  best  if  she  were  chased  in  her  present  trim." 


100  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

"The  little  difference  in  speed  won't  matter  much  on  our 
way  out,"  Horace  said. 

"No,  not  as  to  time,  of  course,  a  day  more  or  less  is  no 
matter;  still,  one  always  likes  to  get  all  one  can  out  of  one's 
ship,  Horace,  and  it  is  a  triumph  to  slip  past  other  craft.  If 
you  have  a  slow  craft  you  don't  mind  whether  other  things 
leave  you  behind  in  an  hour  or  two  hours;  you  jog  along  and 
you  don't  worry  about  it;  you  are  like  a  man  driving  a  heavy 
cart.  But  when  you  are  in  a  crack  schooner  you  are  like  a 
man  on  the  road  with  a  fast  horse  and  a  light  gig,  you  expect 
to  go  past  other  things,  and  you  like  to  do  it  in  good  style." 

"Well,  nothing  will  beat  her  in  looks,  I  think,  Will." 

"No,  that  is  quite  certain.     She  is  a  picture." 

Everything  was  done  on  board  the  Creole  in  man-of-war 
fashion.  Tarleton  stood  at  the  top  of  the  ladder  to  receive 
the  captain  as  he  came  on  board.  He  touched  his  cap  to 
Martyn,  who  touched  his  in  return. 

"Everything  ready  for  getting  under  weigh,  Mr.  Tarle- 
ton?" 

"Everything  quite  ready,  sir." 

"Then  shorten  the  chain  a  bit;  man  the  capstan." 

Jack  Tarleton  gave  the  order.  Tom  Burdett's  boatswain's 
whistle  rang  out  loudly;  the  capstan-bars  were  already  fixed, 
and  a  dozen  men  ran  merrily  round  with  it  till  the  whistle 
sounded  again. 

"The  anchor  is  short,  sir,"  Tarleton  sang  out  to  Martyn. 

"  Verv  well,  leave  her  so,  Mr.  Tarleton.  Will  you  make  sail, 
Mr.  Miller?" 

The  orders  were  given,  the  mainsail,  foresail,  and  fore-stay- 
sail hoisted,  and  the  jibs  run  out  on  the  bowsprit.  As  soon 
as  the  halliards  were  belayed  and  coiled  clown,  the  capstan- 
bars  were  manned  again,  and  the  anchor  weighed.  The  tide 
had  just  turned  to  run  out,  there  was  a  gentle  breeze  blowing, 
and  as  the  two  jibs  were  run  up  the  Creole  began  to  steal 
through  the  wa  :  r. 

"Port  your  helm!  "  Martyn  said  to  the  man  at  the  wheel j 


FITTING   OUT  1C1 

"let  her  come  round  easy.  Slack  off  the  main-sheet;  that 
will  do  now.     Get  her  topsails  on  her,  Mr.  Miller." 

Horace  looked  up  with  a  feeling  of  pride  and  delight  at  the 
cloud  of  white  sail  and  at  the  smart  active  crew,  all  in  duck 
trousers,  blue  shirts,  and  red  caps.  Once  out  of  the  river  the 
sheets  were  hauled  in,  the  yards  of  the  fore-topsail  were  braced 
as  much  fore  and  aft  as  they  would  stand,  and  the  Creole 
turned  her  head  seaward,  looking,  as  Martyn  said,  almost  into 
the  wind's  eye.  The  red  ensign  was  flying  from  the  peak  of 
the  mainsail,  and  from  the  mast-head  a  long  pennant  bearing 
her  name. 

"She  is  slipping  through  the  water  rarely,  Miller,"  Will 
Martyn  said,  as  he  looked  over  the  side. 

"Yes,  she  is  going  six  knots  through  it,  and  that,  consider- 
ing how  close-hauled  she  is  and  that  the  wind  is  light,  is  won- 
derful." 

"  She  would  go  a  good  knot  faster,"  Martyn  said,  "  if  she  had 
fifty  tons  of  that  stuff  out  of  her.  Those  slavers  know  how  to 
build,  and  no  mistake,  and  I  don't  think  they  ever  turned  out 
a  better  craft  than  this." 

It  was  not  until  late  in  the  afternoon  that  the  Creole  dropped 
onchor  off  the  magazine,  where  she  was  to  take  in  her  powder, 
as  Martyn  ran  her  out  twenty  miles  to  sea  and  back  again  to 
stretch  her  ropes  and,  as  he  said,  let  things  shape  down  a  bit. 
When  the  trip  was  over  there  was  not  a  man  on  board  but  was 
in  the  state  of  the  highest  satisfaction  with  the  craft.  Both 
close-hauled  on  the  way  out  and  free  on  her  return  they  had 
passed  several  vessels  almost  as  if  these  had  been  standing 
still,  going  three  feet  to  their  two;  and  although  there  was 
but  little  sea  on,  there  was  enough  to  satisfy  them  that  she 
had  no  lack  of  buoyancy,  even  in  her  present  trim. 

As  soon  as  the  anchor  was  down  and  the  sails  stowed  Marco 
announced  that  dinner  was  ready,  for  all  had  been  too  much 
interested  in  the  behaviour  of  the  schooner  to  think  of  going 
down  for  lunch.  It  was  the  first  meal  that  they  had  taken  on 
board  beyond  a  crust  of  bread  and  cheese  in  the  middle  of  the 


102  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

day,  and  as  they  sat  down,  Will  Martyn  taking  the  head  of  the 
table,  Horace,  as  his  father's  representative,  facing  him,  and 
the  others  at  the  sides,  Miller  said  with  a  laugh,  as  he  looked 
at  the  appointments,  all  of  which  had  been  sent  over  from  the 
house  two  days  before  by  Zaimes:  "This  is  rather  a  contrast, 
Martyn,  to  the  cockpit  of  a  man-of-war." 

"Rather.  I  never  did  dine  with  an  admiral,  but  this  is  the 
sort  of  thing  that  I  have  always  fancied  it  would  be  if  it  had 
entered  into  the  head  of  one  to  invite  me.  What  do  you 
think,  Tarleton?" 

"  I  feel  shy  at  present,  sir,  and  as  if  I  oughtn't  to  speak  till 
spoken  to." 

"You  will  be  spoken  to  pretty  sharply  if  you  say  'sir  '  down 
below.  On  deck,  as  we  agreed,  we  would  have  things  in 
man-of-war  fashion;  but  we  are  not  going  to  have  anything  of 
that  sort  when  we  are  below  together." 

The  dinner  was  an  excellent  one,  and  though  the  expecta- 
tions of  Miller  and  Tarleton  had  been  raised  by  Martyn' s 
encomiums  of  the  Greek's  cooking  they  were  far  surpassed 
by  the  reality.  "It  is  a  dinner  fit  for  a  king,"  Martyn  said 
when  the  cloth  was  cleared  away  and  a  decanter  of  port  placed 
on  the  table. 

"There  is  one  misfortune  in  it.  If  this  sort  of  thing  is 
going  to  last  we  shall  never  be  fit  for  service  in  an  ordinary 
craft  again,  we  shall  become  Sybarites.  Is  this  the  sort  of 
dinner  you  always  have  at  home,  Horace?  " 

"About  the  same,  I  think,"  Horace  laughed.  "My  father 
takes  no  exercise  and  has  not  much  appetite,  and  I  think  he 
likes  nice  things;  and  it  is  one  of  the  Greek's  great  aims  in 
life  to  tempt  him  to  eat.  We  always  have  a  very  good  cook, 
but  Zaimes  insists  on  having  a  few  little  things  of  his  own 
cooking  on  the  table,  and  as  he  is  generally  at  war  with  the 
cook,  and  they  leave  in  consequence  about  every  three  or  four 
months,  he  often  has  the  dinner  altogether  in  his  hands  till  a 
fresh  one  arrives,  and  I  am  amused  sometimes  to  see  how 
Zaimes  fidgets  when  my  father,  which  is  often  the  case,  is  so 


FITTING   OUT  103 

occupied  with  his  own  thoughts  that  he  eats  mechanically 
and  does  not  notice  what  is  before  him.  Zaimes  stands  it 
for  a  minute  or  two  and  then  asks  some  question  or  makes 
some  observation  that  calls  my  father's  attention  back  to  what 
he  is  doing.  They  have  both  been  with  him  for  two-and- 
twenty  years  and  are  devoted  to  him.  They  are  hardly  like 
English  servants,  and  talk  to  him  in  a  way  English  servants 
would  not  think  of  doing.  They  are  always  perfectly  respect- 
ful, you  know,  but  they  regard  themselves,  as  he  regards  them, 
as  friends  as  well  as  servants." 

"Well,  gentlemen,  we  will  drink  the  usual  toast,  'The  King, 
God  bless  him;  '  that  is  duty.  Now  fill  up  again,  here  is 
'Success  to  the  Creole.'  "  When  the  toast  was  drank  Martyn 
went  on : 

"  How  did  your  father  pick  them  up,  Horace?  " 

"  It  was  just  after  he  went  out  to  Greece,  which  was  directly 
after  he  left  college.  He  was  at  Samos,  and  got  leave  from 
the  Turkish  governor  to  visit  the  prison.  In  one  of  the  cells 
were  Zaimes  and  Marco,  who  was  then  a  boy  about  sixteen. 
They  were  condemned  to  death;  they  had  been  smuggling, 
and  a  Turkish  boat  had  overhauled  them.  They  had  resisted. 
Four  of  the  men  with  them  had  been  killed  in  the  fight,  and 
several  of  the  Turks.  These  two  had  been  both  severely 
wounded  and  made  prisoners.  My  father  was  new  to  that  sort 
of  thing  then.  After  he  had  been  a  year  or  two  in  Greece  he 
knew  that  it  would  take  a  king's  fortune  to  buy  out  all  the 
prisoners  in  the  Turkish  jails,  but  being  only  out  there  a  month 
or  two  he  was  touched  at  the  sight  of  the  two  prisoners.  They 
were  both  very  handsome,  though,  of  course,  pale  and  pulled 
down  by  their  wounds  and  imprisonment,  and  Zaimes,  who 
was  the  spokesman,  had  that  courteous  gentle  manner  that  my 
father  says  all  the  Greeks  have  when  they  are  not  excited." 

"At  any  rate  he  was  very  much  interested  and  went  off  to 
the  governor  again,  and  the  Turk  was  glad  enough  for  a  bribe 
of  a  hundred  pounds  to  give  him  an  order  for  the  release  of 
the  two  prisoners,  on  condition  that  they  were  to  be  let  out 


104  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

after  dark  and  at  once  put  on  board  a  craft  that  was  sailing  at 
daybreak  next  morning.  My  father  went  with  them,  and  after 
that  they  absolutely  refused  to  leave  him,  and  travelled  with 
him  in  Greece  for  some  time  and  fought  very  pluckily  when 
some  Klepts  once  tried  to  carry  him  away  into  the  mountains. 
Then  he  bought  a  small  craft  and  established  his  head-quarters 
at  Mitylene,  and  for  a  year  lived  there  and  cruised  about 
the  islands.  When  he  came  home  he  offered  the  felucca  to 
them,  but  they  refused  to  take  it,  and  begged  so  hard  for  him  to 
take  them  home  with  him  that  he  agreed  to  do  so,  and  they 
have  proved  invaluable  to  him  ever  since." 

"Your  father  is  lucky  in  having  got  hold  of  two  such  men," 
Martyn  said.  "  I  believe  the  lower  order  of  Greeks  are  fine 
fellows  in  their  way.  They  are  quarrelsome  and  passionate, 
no  doubt,  and  apt  to  whip  out  their  knives  at  the  smallest 
provocation,  and  there  is  no  trade  they  take  so  kindly  to  as 
that  of  a  bandit;  otherwise  I  believe  they  are  honest  hard- 
working fellows.  But  as  for  the  upper  class  of  Greeks,  the 
less  I  have  to  do  with  them  the  better.  When  they  get  a 
chance  they  grind  down  their  countrymen  a  deal  worse  than 
the  Turks  do.  They  are  slippery  customers  and  no  mistake. 
I  would  rather  take  a  Turk's  simple  word  than  a  solemn  oath 
from  a  Greek." 

"No;  veracity  is  hardly  one  of  their  conspicuous  virtues," 
the  doctor  put  in  quietly.  "  I  take  it  that  the  ancients  were 
so  accustomed  to  swear  by  their  gods,  even  after  they  had 
ceased  to  believe  in  them,  that  they  came  to  consider  that  an 
oath  by  them  was  not  binding,  and  so  got  into  the  way  of  lying 
generally,  and  their  descendants  have  never  amended  their 
ways  in  that  particular  since.  On  more  than  one  occasion, 
when  there  was  trouble  between  our  sailors  and  the  Greeks, 
I  attended  their  courts,  and  for  good  downright  hard  swearing 
I  never  heard  them  approached.  I  don't  wonder  that  the 
Turks  refuse  to  allow  Christians  to  give  evidence  in  their 
courts.  We  shall  see  when  we  get  out,  but  I  have  grave 
doubts  whether  there  has  been  any  revolution  at  all,   and 


FITTING   OUT  105 

whether  it  is  not  a  got-up  thing  altogether,  just  to  see  what 
the  rest  of  the  world  says  to  it." 

The  others  laughed. 

"There  is  one  thing,  doctor,"  Miller  said;  "we  have  heard 
from  Europeans  who  are  out  there  of  what  has  been  done,  it 
does  not  come  from  the  Greeks  only." 

"That  is  a  confirmation,  certainly,  but  it  is  well  known 
that  travellers'  tales  must  always  be  received  with  caution.  It 
has  been  so  since  the  days  of  Herodotus.  When  a  man  gets 
away  from  his  own  country  he  is  apt  to  get  a  certain  looseness 
of  the  tongue.  We  will  wait  until  we  get  out  there  before  we 
form  any  strong  opinion  about  it." 

By  this  time  they  had  finished  their  coffee,  and  Martyn, 
rising,  said :  "  Mr.  Tarleton,  I  shall  be  glad  if  you  will  go 
along  the  main-deck  and  see  that  the  men  are  making  them- 
selves comfortable;  to-morrow  we  will  divide  them  into  watches 
and  tell  them  off  to  their  stations  and  get  things  into  working 
order." 

Accordingly,  in  the  morning  the  crew  were  divided  into 
two  watches,  and  the  boat's  crews  told  off,  and  then  the  work 
of  getting  the  powder  and  small  ammunition  on  board  began; 
the  latter  did  not  take  long,  as  it  was  already  in  a  flat  into 
which  it  had  been  discharged  three  days  before  from  the 
coaster  that  had  brought  it  from  Liverpool.  The  flat  had 
therefore  only  to  be  towed  alongside  and  the  cases  swung  on 
board  and  lowered  into  a  portion  of  the  hold  that  had  been 
divided  off  from  the  rest  by  thick  bulkheads  to  form  a  mag- 
azine. The  ammunition  and  powder  were  all  on  board  and 
stowed  away,  the  ship  was  washed  down,  and  the  men  piped 
to  dinner  by  eight  bells.  The  officers  went  down  and  divided 
the  men  into  messes,  examined  the  food,  and  saw  that  every- 
thing was  comfortable. 

"  More  room  here  than  there  was  on  board  the  Surf,  Dick," 
Horace  said  as  he  stopped  a  moment  on  his  rounds  to  speak 
to  the  young  sailor. 

"Yes,  sir,  one  can  stand  upright  here.  But  the  Surf  was  a 
good  boat  too." 


106  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

After  dinner  the  men  were  told  off  to  their  various  duties 
and  divided  into  crews  for  the  guns,  when  these  should  be  in 
place.  The  first  lieutenant  (for  it  was  agreed  that  they  should 
be  called  lieutenants  and  not  mates)  and  Horace  took  the 
starboard  watch,  Tarleton  and  the  boatswain  the  port  watch. 
The  men  were  formed  up,  inspected,  and  put  through  cutlass 
drill  for  an  hour,  after  which  the  watches  by  turns  were  exer- 
cised in  setting  sail,  reefing,  lowering,  and  furling,  so  that 
each  man  should  know  his  place  and  duty.  Then  they  were 
dismissed. 

"They  will  be  a  first-rate  crew  when  they  have  worked 
together  for  a  few  days,"  Martyn  said.  "I  could  not  wish  for 
a  smarter  set  of  men.  If  we  meet  anything  about  our  own 
size  I  shall  have  no  fear  of  giving  a  good  account  of  her.  I 
have  no  opinion  whatever  of  the  Turks  as  sailors;  they  are 
good  soldiers,  and  have  always  proved  themselves  so,  but  more 
lubberly  sailors  never  went  to  sea." 

"Well,  we  are  not  likely  to  meet  anything  else,"  Horace 
said. 

"I  don't  know,  lad.  The  Greeks  at  the  best  of  times  are 
pirates  at  heart,  and  just  at  present  they  are  not  at  all  likely 
to  be  particular  who  they  lay  hands  on.  I  saw  in  the  paper 
only  yesterday,  they  had  attacked  and  plundered  an  Austrian 
craft,  and  it  is  probable  that  they  may  have  done  the  same  to 
a  dozen  others,  only  as  a  rule  they  scuttle  any  ship  they  may 
seize  and  nothing  is  ever  known  about  her.  Ships  can't  be 
too  careful  when  they  are  in  Greek  waters,  and  a  vessel 
wrecked  on  any  of  the  islands  is  looked  upon  as  a  lawful  prize. 
There  is  no  fear  of  our  being  taken  by  surprise  by  the  Turks, 
but  I  shall  take  precious  good  care  that  we  are  never  caught 
napping  when  we  are  anchored  anywhere  in  the  Greek  Archi- 
pelago. After  dinner,  Horace,  I  will  go  ashore  with  you  in 
the  gig.  I  don't  think  it  likely  your  father  will  be  down  by 
the  night  coach,  as  he  would  only  get  your  letter  this  morn- 
ing, but  he  may  come;  at  any  rate  you  have  got  to  wait  now 
at  the  Falcon  till  he  turns  up." 


UNDER   WEIGH  101 


CHAPTER   VI 


UNDER    WEIGH 


AFTER  seeing  to  a  few  matters  that  had  been  left  till  the 
last  moment,  Will  Martyn  returned  on  board  again.  Hor- 
ace dined  at  the  club,  of  which  he  had  been  made  an  hon- 
orary member,  and  then  went  back  to  the  Falcon.  To  his 
surprise  Zaimes  was  standing  at  the  door. 

"Why,  Zaimes,  how  on  earth  did  you  get  here?  Why,  the 
coach  does  not  get  in  till  twelve  o'clock." 

"  No,  Mr.  Horace,  but  we  had  everything  ready  to  start 
this  morning.  Of  course  your  letter  did  not  come  in  time 
for  us  to  get  over  to  the  early  coach,  but  we  were  expecting  it 
after  what  you  wrote  yesterday,  and  your  father  had  concluded 
that  it  would  be  much  more  comfortable  to  post.  He  does 
not  like  being  crowded,  and  it  was  doubtful  whether  there 
would  be  room  for  the  two  of  us;  and  there  was  the  luggage, 
so  we  had  arranged  for  a  post-chaise  to  come  for  us  anyhow, 
and  we  started  half  an  hour  after  your  letter  came  in,  and 
have  posted  comfortably.  Your  father  is  in  the  coffee-room. 
He  would  not  have  a  private  room,  as  he  did  not  know  whether 
you  would  be  taking  him  on  board  this  evening." 

Mr.  Beveridge  was  sitting  at  a  table  by  himself,  and  had 
just  finished  his  dinner  when  Horace  came  in.  He  looked  up 
more  briskly  than  usual. 

"I  am  sorry  I  was  not  here  to  meet  you,  father,"  Horace 
said;  "but  I  did  not  think  you  could  be  here  until  the  night 
coach." 

"No;  I  did  not  expect  to  find  you  here,  Horace,  so  it  was 
no  disappointment.  Well,  you  look  bronzed  and  well,  my 
boy,  you  and  your  friends  seem  to  have  done  wonders  in  get- 
ting everything  done  so  soon.  I  am  quite  anxious  to  see  the 
ship.     Are  we  to  go  on  board  this  evening?  " 

"  If  you  don't  mind,  father,  I  would  much  rather  you  didn't 


jOS  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

go  off  till  morning.  I  said  that  if  you  came  we  would  break- 
fast early  and  be  ready  for  the  gig  at  half-past  eight.  They 
won't  be  expecting  us  to-night,  and  I  am  sure  Martyn  and  the 
others  will  like  to  have  everything  in  the  best  possible  order 
when  you  go  on  board.  We  have  been  expecting  those  boxes 
of  books  you  wrote  about  a  week  ago,  but  they  haven't  turned 
up.  It  will  be  a  horrible  nuisance  if,  after  the  way  we  have 
been  pushing  everything  forward,  we  should  be  kept  waiting 
two  or  three  days  for  them." 

"Well,  Horace,  the  fact  is  I  changed  my  mind.  The  four 
boxes  were  packed  and  in  the  hall.  They  really  were  very 
large  boxes,  and  Zaimes  said :  '  Well,  master,  what  you  are 
going  to  do  with  all  those  books  I  can't  imagine.  Where  are 
you  going  to  put  them?  Why,  they  would  fill  your  cabin  up 
solid.  If  I  were  you,  sir,  I  would  not  take  one  of  them. 
Just  give  yourself  a  holiday.  Don't  take  a  pen  in  your  hand 
while  you  are  away.  You  will  have  plenty  to  see  about  and 
to  think  about,  and  I  am  sure  it  would  do  you  a  deal  of  good 
to  give  it  up  altogether  for  a  time,  and  you  will  take  it  up 
freshly  afterwards.  Besides,  you  will  have  people  coming  on 
board,  and  your  advice  will  be  asked,  and  you  will  have  to 
decide  all  sorts  of  things,  and  you  know  you  won't  be  able  to 
bring  your  mind  out  of  your  books  if  you  have  them  on  board.' 
He  said  something  like  it  when  I  first  began  to  talk  of  pack- 
ing, but  it  seemed  to  me  impossible  that  I  could  give  up 
work  altogether;  but  the  sight  of  those  four  great  boxes  stag- 
gered me.  Then  I  said:  '  Zaimes,  this  is  not  like  that  little 
cabin  on  board  the  yacht.  This  is  quite  a  large  vessel  in 
comparison.'  'Yes,  sir,'  he  replied,  '  but  your  cabin  won't 
be  larger  than  the  main  cabin  in  the  Surf,  not  so  large  I  should 
fancy.'  This  surprised  me  altogether,  but  he  assured  me  it 
was  so,  and  pressed  me  so  much  on  the  matter  that  I  at  last 
agreed  to  leave  them  all  behind." 

"That  is  a  capital  thing,  father.  Zaimes  was  quite  right. 
Your  state-room  is  a  very  nice  cabin,  but  except  that  it  is  a 
good  deal  more  lofty,  it  is  certainly  not  so  large  by  a  good 


UNDER   WEIGH  109 

deal  as  the  main  cabin  in  the  Surf;  besides,  if  you  had  your 
books  you  would  be  always  shut  up  there,  and  what  I  thought 
of  all  along,  from  the  time  you  first  spoke  about  coming  out, 
was  what  a  good  thing  it  would  be  for  you  to  have  a  thorough 
holiday,  and  to  put  aside  the  old  work  altogether." 

"You  don't  think  it  valuable,  Horace?"  Mr.  Beveridge 
asked  wistfully. 

"  I  do,  father.  I  think  it  most  valuable,  and  no  one  can  be 
prouder  than  I  am  of  your  reputation,  and  that  all  learned 
men  should  acknowledge  the  immense  value  of  your  works  to 
Greek  students.  But,  father,  after  all,  the  number  of  men  who 
go  into  all  that  is  very  small,  and  I  can't  see  why  your  life 
should  be  entirely  given  up  to  them.  I  think  that  at  any  rate 
it  will  be  a  first-rate  thing  for  you,  and  extremely  pleasant  for 
me,  that  you  should  be  like  the  rest  of  us  while  we  are  out  on 
this  expedition.  As  Zaimes  says,  you  will  have  a  lot  of  things 
to  decide  upon,  and  we  are  going  to  lead  an  active,  stirring 
life,  and  it  is  new  Greece  we  shall  have  to  think  about,  and 
not  the  Greece  of  two  thousand  years  ago.  It  is  your  aim  to 
raise,  not  the  Greeks  of  the  time  of  Miltiades,  but  a  people 
who  in  these  two  thousand  years  have  become  a  race,  not  only 
of  slaves,  but  of  ignorant  savages,  for  these  massacres  of 
unarmed  people  show  that  they  are  nothing  better;  and  not 
only  to  free  them,  but  to  make  them  worthy  of  being  a  nation 
again.  I  think,  father,  there  will  be  ample  scope  for  all  your 
thoughts  and  attention  in  the  present  without  giving  a  thought 
to  the  niceties  of  the  language  spoken  by  Demosthenes,  so  I 
am  truly  and  heartily  glad  you  decided  to  leave  your  books 
behind  you." 

"I  think  you  are  right,  Horace;  I  am  sure  you  are  right: 
but  it  is  a  wrench  to  me  to  cut  myself  loose  altogether  from 
the  habits  of  a  lifetime." 

"  And  now,  father,  what  are  you  going  to  do  about  clothes?  " 
Ho  id,  looking  at  him  closely, 

"Ab  !"    hi     father  ted  vaguely.     "1  have 

brought  two  1      e  bo  :es  full  v.  ith  mi  ." 


110  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

"Yes,  father,  no  doubt  you  have  clothes,  but  I  am  sure  that 
on  board  ship — and  you  will  be  always  living  there,  you  know 
— it  will  be  much  more  comfortable  for  you  to  have  clothes  fit 
for  the  sea.  Frilled  shirts,  and  ruffles,  and  tight  breeches, 
and  high-heeled  Hessian  boots,  and  short-waisted  tail-coats 
are  all  very  well  on  shore,  but  the  first  time  you  are  out  in  a 
good  brisk  gale,  you  would  wish  them  anywhere.  What  you 
want  is  a  couple  of  suits,  at  least,  of  blue  cloth  like  mine,  with 
brass  buttons,  and  a  low  cloth  cap  like  this  that  will  keep  on 
your  head  whilst  it  is  blowing,  in  fact  the  sort  of  suit  that  the 
owner  of  a  big  yacht  would  naturally  wear.  Of  course  when 
you  go  ashore  to  see  any  of  the  Greek  leaders,  you  might  like 
to  go  in  your  ordinary  dress;  but  really  for  sea  you  want  com- 
fortable clothes,  and  a  good  thick  pea-jacket  for  rough 
weather." 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right,  Horace,  and  I  did  remark  that  my 
heels  left  marks  upon  the  deck  of  the  Surf.''' 

"Certainly  they  did,  father;  and  it  would  be  agony  to  Will 
Martyn  to  have  the  beautiful  white  deck  of  the  Creole  spoiled." 

"But  it  is  too  late  now,  it  is  half-past  eight  o'clock." 

"  Oh,  I  can  take  you  to  a  shop  where  they  keep  this  sort  of 
thing.  Besides,  there  are  twelve  hours  before  we  start,  and  by 
paying  for  it  one  can  get  pretty  nearly  anything  made  in  twelve 
hours." 

Mr.  Beveridge  suffered  himself  to  be  persuaded.  Fortu- 
nately the  outfitter  had  a  couple  of  suits  ordered  by  one  of  the 
officers  of  a  ship  of  war  in  harbour  nearly  completed.  These 
he  agreed  to  alter  to  fit  Mr.  Beveridge  by  the  morning,  and  to 
put  on  extra  hands  to  turn  out  fresh  suits  for  the  person  for 
whom  they  were  intended.  The  gold  lace,  white  facings,  and 
other  distinguishing  marks  would  be  removed,  and  plain  brass 
buttons  substituted  for  the  royal  buttons.  Two  or  three  pairs 
of  shoes  with  low  heels  were  also  obtained.  The  clothes  came 
home  at  seven  in  the  morning,  and  Mr.  Beveridge  came  down 
to  breakfast  looking  like  the  smart  captain  of  a  merchantman. 

"I  feel  as  if  I  were  dressed  for  a  masquerade,  Horace,"  he 
said  with  a  smile. 


A    DISCUSSION    ABOUT   CLOTHES 


UNDER   -WEIGH  111 

"  You  look  first-rate,  father,  and  a  lot  more  comfortable  than 
usual,  I  can  tell  you." 

It  was  at  Martyn's  suggestion  that  Horace  had  urged  his 
father  to  make  a  change  in  his  attire. 

"It  would  be  a  good  thing  if  you  could  get  him  to  put  on 
sea-going  togs,"  the  sailor  had  said.  "He  is  the  owner  of  as 
smart  a  craft  as  ever  sailed  out  of  British  waters,  and  he  will 
look  a  good  deal  more  at  home  on  the  deck  of  his  own  ship 
in  regular  yachtsman's  dress  than  he  would  rigged  up  in  his 
ruffles  and  boots." 

With  this  Horace  had  agreed  heartily,  for  his  father's  ap- 
pearance on  occasions  when  he  had  gone  out  with  him  in  the 
Surf  had  struck  him  as  being  wholly  incongruous  with  the 
surroundings. 

At  half-past  eight  they  went  down  to  the  steps,  two  porters 
carrying  the  luggage  under  the  watchful  eye  of  Zaimes.  As 
they  were  seen,  the  smart  gig  with  its  six  rowers,  which  was 
lying  a  short  distance  off,  rowed  in  to  the  steps.  Tarleton  was 
steering.  He  stepped  out  to  hand  Mr.  Beveridge  into  the 
boat. 

"This  is  Mr.  Tarleton,  father,  our  second  lieutenant." 

"I  am  glad  to  meet  you,  sir,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said,  shaking 
hands  with  the  young  officer.  "I  hope  that  we  shall  have  a 
pleasant  cruise  together." 

"I  feel  sure  we  shall,  sir.  If  one  couldn't  be  comfortable 
on  board  the  Creole,  one  couldn't  be  comfortable  anywhere." 

Tarleton  took  his  seat  in  the  centre  to  steer,  with  Mr. 
Beveridge  and  Horace  on  either  side  of  him,  Zaimes  and  the 
luggage  were  placed  in  the  bow.  The  bowman  pushed  the 
boat  off  with  the  boat-hook.  The  oars,  which  had  been  tossed 
in  man-of-war  fashion,  fell  with  a  splash  into  the  water,  and 
then  with  a  long  steady  stroke  the  gig  darted  away  from  the 
steps. 

"This  is  certainly  very  pleasant,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said  as 
they  threaded  through  the  anchored  craft  and  made  their  way 
seaward.  "  I  begin  to  wish  I  had  taken  up  yachting  twenty 
years  back." 


112  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

"Well,  it  is  not  too  late,  father.  When  we  have  done  with 
Greece,  you  can  go  in  for  amusement  if  you  like." 

"I  should  never  find  time,  Horace." 

"Oh,  you  could  make  time,  father.  You  could  spare  three 
months  in  the  year  and  be  all  the  better  for  it.  When  you 
have  once  had  a  break,  you  will  find  how  pleasant  it  is." 

Half  an  hour's  row  and  Horace  said:  "That  is  the  Creole, 
father,  lying  in  there  near  the  farther  point." 

"She  doesn't  look  as  large  as  I  expected,  Horace,  though 
her  masts  seem  a  great  height." 

"She  is  heavily  sparred  for  her  length,"  Tarleton  said,  "but 
she  has  great  beam;  besides  she  is  rather  low  in  the  water 
now,  and  of  course  that  makes  the  spars  look  big  in  propor- 
tion. She  will  be  a  bit  higher  by  the  time  we  get  out.  Fifty 
men  consume  a  considerable  weight  of  stores  and  water  every 
week.  You  will  be  pleased  with  her,  sir,  when  we  get  along- 
side. We  all  think  she  is  as  handsome  a  craft  as  we  ever  set 
eyes  on.  She  will  astonish  the  Turks,  I  warrant,  when  it 
comes  to  sailing." 

Another  twenty  minutes  they  were  alongside.  According 
to  naval  etiquette  Horace  mounted  the  ladder  first,  then 
Tarleton,  and  Mr.  Beveridge  followed.  Martyn  and  Miller 
received  him  at  the  gangway,  the  former  introducing  the  first 
officer  and  the  surgeon  to  him. 

"She  is  a  fine-looking  vessel,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said,  "and 
you  have  certainly  done  marvels  with  her,  Captain  Martyn,  for 
my  son  wrote  me  that  she  had  nothing  but  her  lower  masts  in 
her  when  you  took  possession,  and  now  she  is  wonderfully 
bright  and  clean,  and  these  decks  look  almost  too  white  to 
walk  on." 

"  I  hope  that  we  shall  always  keep  her  in  equal  order,  sir. 
We  have  a  capital  crew,  and  no  one  could  wish  for  a  better 
craft  under  his  feet." 

Mr.  Beveridge  was  now  conducted  round  the  ship,  and  ex- 
pressed :  ighly  gratified  with  everything. 

"Is  it  your  wish  that  we  should  m  '  :1   at  once,  sir?" 


UNDER   WEIGH  113 

Martyn  asked.  "We  have  been  expecting  some  heavy  luggage 
on  board,  but  it  has  not  arrived." 

"  I  changed  my  mind  about  it,  and  there  is  nothing  coming, 
Captain  Martyn.  I  am  perfectly  ready  to  start  if  you  have 
everything  on  board." 

"There  is  nothing  to  wait  for,  sir;  we  are  perfectly  ready." 

They  returned  to  the  quarter-deck,  and  as  Martyn  gave  the 
orders  there  was  a  general  movement  on  the  part  of  the  crew. 
Some  of  the  men  clustered  round  the  capstan,  while  others 
prepared  to  make  sail,  and  Mr.  Beveridge  felt  a  keen  sense  of 
pleasure  as  he  watched  the  active  fellows  at  their  work.  In 
five  minutes  the  sails  were  set,  the  anchor  at  the  cat-head,  and 
the  Creole  moving  through  the  water  under  the  light  breeze 
off  shore. 

They  had  favourable  winds  across  the  Bay  and  down  the 
coast  of  Portugal.  Everything  from  the  start  had  gone  as 
smoothly  as  if  the  Creole  had  been  six  months  in  commission 
— officers  and  men  were  alike  pleased  with  the  ship;  the  pro- 
visions for  the  sailors  were  of  the  best  quality;  the  duties  were 
very  light,  for  the  sails  had  not  required  altering  from  the 
time  they  had  been  set,  although  each  day  the  men  practised 
for  an  hour  at  lowering  and  setting  them,  in  order  to  accus- 
tom them  to  work  smartly  together. 

There  was  half  an  hour's  cutlass  drill,  and  for  the  rest  of 
the  day,  beyond  cleaning  and  polishing,  there  was  nothing  to 
be  done.  Mr.  Beveridge  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  time  in 
a  comfortable  deck-chair  on  the  quarter-deck,  for  there  was 
no  poop,  the  deck  being  flush  from  end  to  end.  Horace 
attended  to  his  duties  as  third  officer  regularly,  and  the  nights 
were  so  warm  and  pleasant  that  the  watches  did  not  appear 
long  to  him.  There  was  no  stiffness  in  the  cabin  when  thev 
gathered  to  their  meals,  or  in  the  evening,  and  Mr.  Beveridge 
proved  in  no  way  a  wet  blanket  on  their  fun,  as  the  three 
officers  had  rather  anticipated  he  would  be.  He  talked  but 
little,  but  was  thoroughly  amused  at  their  yarns  and  jests,  all 
of  which  were  as  strange  to  him  as  if  he  had  lived  in  another 
world. 


114  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

"You  will  certainly  have  to  cut  off  our  rations  a  bit,  Mr. 
Beveridge,"  Will  Martyn  said  one  day  as  they  finished  dinner. 
"We  shall  be  getting  as  fat  as  porpoises  if  we  go  on  like  this. 
I  can  feel  my  togs  filling  out  daily;  and  as  for  Tarleton,  he 
will  have  to  have  all  his  things  let  out  by  the  time  we  arrive 
in  the  Levant.  For  the  credit  of  the  ship  I  shall  have  to  give 
orders  for  us  to  be  supplied  with  the  same  rations  as  the  men, 
and  go  in  for  luxuries  only  on  Sundays.  We  are  not  accus- 
tomed to  be  tempted  in  this  way  at  every  meal.  It  is  all  very 
well  for  you  who  do  not  eat  much  more  than  a  sparrow  to  have 
such  nice  things  always  put  before  you;  but  to  us  who  have 
been  accustomed  to  a  steady  diet  of  salt  junk,  except  when  we 
put  into  port  and  are  able  to  get  fresh  meat  for  a  change,  these 
things  are  beyond  our  power  of  resistance." 

"  I  eat  a  great  deal  more  than  I  did  on  shore,"  Mr.  Bever- 
idge said.  "  I  find,  indeed,  a  wonderful  improvement  in  my 
appetite.  It  was  quite  an  infliction  to  Zaimes  that  I  cared  so 
little  for  the  good  things  he  provided  me  with.  I  can  assure 
you  I  really  begin  to  look  for  my  meals  now,  and  it  is  a 
pleasure  for  me  to  see  you  all  eat  with  good  healthy  appetites, 
and  I  am  sure  that  it  must  be  a  great  gratification  to  the 
Greeks  to  see  their  efforts  appreciated  at  last." 

"It  is  Tarleton  I  am  thinking  of  principally,  sir;  as  for 
Miller,  nature  made  him  square,  and  it  would  be  no  disad- 
vantage if  he  became  round;  while  as  to  the  doctor,  food  is 
simply  wasted  on  him,  he  will  never  do  credit  to  your  cooks. 
But  Tarleton,  with  those  dark  eyes  of  his  and  his  gentle  sort 
of  way,  was  what  the  ladies  would  consider  an  interesting 
youth,  and  he  would,  I  am  sure,  forfeit  the  good  opinion  of 
the  ladies  altogether  if  he  were  to  return  looking  like  a  mildly 
animated  sausage." 

Tarleton  joined  in  the  laugh.  "  I  do  think  I  have  gained 
a  lot  in  weight  the  last  week,"  he  said;  "but  we  won't  always 
go  on  in  this  quiet  sort  of  way.  As  for  what  Martyn  says,  I 
believe  it  is  only  jealousy  on  his  part  at  seeing  that  my  angles 
are  filling  out." 


UNDER    WEIGH  115 

On  arriving  at  the  Straits  they  put  in  at  Ceuta  and  obtained 
a  supply  of  fresh  meat  and  vegetables.  In  the  Mediterranean 
they  fell  in  with  dead  calms  and  were  a  fortnight  in  getting  to 
Gozo,  where  they  again  replenished  their  stock.  They  ab- 
stained from  putting  in  either  at  Gibraltar  or  Malta  in  order 
to  avoid  being  questioned  as  to  the  cargo  and  destination  of 
the  Creole. 

"Now,  sir,"  Will  Martyn  said  when  they  were  within  two 
days'  sail  of  Greece,  "it  is  quite  time  to  decide  what  port  we 
shall  make  for,  but  we  can't  decide  that  until  we  know  how 
matters  are  going  on.  When  we  left  England  there  were  very 
conflicting  accounts  of  the  progress  of  the  revolution,  and 
whether  Corinth,  Patras,  Nauplia,  or  Athens  are  in  the  hands 
of  the  Greeks  or  Turks.  Well,  I  should  say,  sir,  that  our  best 
plan  would  be  to  put  in  at  Zante,  where,  as  it  is  English,  and 
therefore  neutral  ground,  we  shall  learn  all  about  the  state  of 
affairs,  and  may  meet  some  of  our  own  people  or  foreigners 
who  have  been  fighting  by  the  side  of  the  Greeks.  Half  an 
hour's  talk  with  one  of  them  would  give  us  a  better  idea  how 
everything  stands  than  a  week's  talk  with  Greeks." 

"I  think  that  will  be  a  very  good  plan,"  Mr.  Beveridge 
agreed.  "  Flying  the  English  flag  we  might  go  in  or  out  of 
any  of  the  harbours  as  neutrals;  but  if  by  any  chance  it  leaked 
out  what  our  cargo  is  the  Turks  would  probably  consider 
themselves  justified  in  laying  hands  on  us." 

"At  any  rate  it  is  well  not  to  run  the  risk,  Mr.  Beveridge, 
as  there  is  no  object  to  be  served  by  it.  I  will  take  the 
bearings  of  Zante  and  lay  our  course  for  it." 

There  was,  indeed,  no  spot  where  they  were  more  likely  to 
obtain  accurate  news  of  what  was  going  on  than  Zante,  lying 
as  the  island  does  at  a  short  distance  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Gulf  of  Corinth,  upon  which  were  three  of  the  most  important 
towns  in  Greece — Patras,  Corinth,  and  Missolonghi.  Here, 
too,  the  fugitives  from  the  Morea,  of  either  party,  would 
naturally  make  their  way. 

It  was  the  8th  of  October  when  the  Creole,  flying  the  Eng- 


11G  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

lish  flag  at  her  peak,  dropped  anchor  in  the  port.  As  soon 
as  she  did  so  a  custom-house  officer  came  on  board. 

"What  ship  is  this?  "  he  asked  the  first  officer,  who  was  on 
deck. 

"This  is  the  Creole,  a  private  yacht  belonging  to  Mr.  Bever- 
idge.     The  owner  is  below  if  you  wish  to  see  him." 

"You  have  no  merchandise  on  board?" 

"I  tell  you  that  it  is  a  yacht,"  Miller  said.  "An  English 
gentleman  doesn't  bring  out  merchandise  for  sale  in  his  yacht. 
The  captain  will  show  you  her  papers." 

Will  Martyn  came  on  deck. 

"This  is  the  captain,"  Miller  said.  "You  had  better  ad- 
dress him." 

On  hearing  what  was  required  Martyn  took  the  officer  below 
and  showed  him  the  ship's  papers. 

"  I  see  it  is  mentioned  here  that  you  were  bound  from  Eng- 
land to  Lisbon,"  the  officer  observed. 

"Yes.  We  did  not  put  in  there,  as  Mr.  Beveridge  was 
anxious  to  get  into  a  warmer  climate." 

"I  see  you  are  strongly  armed,"  the  officer  said  when  he 
came  on  to  deck  again,  for  after  leaving  Malta  the  eight 
twelve-pounders  and  the  pivot-gun  had  been  got  up  from  the 
hold  and  mounted. 

"Yes,  we  are  armed,  as  you  see.  I  imagine  you  would 
hardly  recommend  anyone  to  be  cruising  about  in  these  waters 
without  means  of  defence." 

"No,  indeed,"  the  officer  laughed.  "The  Greeks  are  pi- 
rates to  the  core.  You  would  be  all  right  with  the  Turks, 
although  from  your  appearance  I  should  not  think  they  would 
ever  get  near  enough  to  trouble  you." 

Half  an  hour  later  Mr.  Beveridge  and  Horace  were  rowed 
ashore.  As,  except  at  Ceuta,  Horace  had  never  set  foot 
ashore  out  of  England,  he  was  much  amused  and  interested 
by  the  varied  population.  Mingled  with  the  native  popula- 
tion of  the  island  were  Greeks  from  the  mainland;  Albanians 
in  their  white  pleated  petticoats,  bristling  with  arms  mounted 


UNDER    WEIGH  117 

in  gold  and  silver;  a  few  English  soldiers  walking  about  as 
unconcernedly  as  if  in  a  garrison  town  at  home;  and  sailors 
of  several  nationalities  from  ships  in  harbour. 

"  I  should  think,  father,  the  proper  thing  would  be  to  call 
upon  the  English  officer  in  command  here  and  invite  him  to 
dinner.  We  shall  get  a  general  idea  of  the  state  of  things  from 
him." 

Asking  a  soldier,  they  found  that  the  small  detachment 
there  was  under  the  command  of  Captain  O' Grady,  whose 
house,  at  the  entrance  to  the  barrack,  was  pointed  out  to  them. 
The  officer  was  in,  and  on  Mr.  Beveridge  sending  in  his  card 
they  were  at  once  shown  in. 

"  I  am  the  owner  of  a  schooner-yacht,  the  Creole,  that 
dropped  anchor  an  hour  ago,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said.  "I  know 
very  little  about  the  etiquette  of  these  things,  but  it  seemed 
to  me  the  proper  thing  was  to  call  at  once  upon  His  Majesty's 
representative  here." 

"A  very  right  and  proper  thing  to  do,  Mr.  Beveridge.  I 
have  been  wondering  what  that  craft  could  be,  and  where  she 
had  come  from.  If  it  hadn't  been  for  the  flag  and  the  tidi- 
ness of  her  I  should  have  put  her  down  as  a  Greek  pirate, 
though  they  don't  often  rig  up  their  crafts  as  schooners." 

"She  has  been  something  like  a  pirate  in  her  time,"  Mr. 
Beveridge  said,  "  for  she  was  a  slaver,  captured  and  sent  home 
as  a  prize.     I  bought  her  at  Plymouth  and  fitted  her  out." 

"And  a  mighty  nice  way  of  spending  money  too,  Mr.  Bever- 
idge. She  is  the  biggest  thing  in  the  way  of  yachts  I  ever 
saw.  I  don't  at  all  see  why  a  gentleman  shouldn't  buy  a  big 
ship  and  cruise  about  the  world  in  her  if  he  can  afford  it." 

"Well,  Captain  O'Grady,  I  won't  occupy  your  time  now, 
but  shall  be  glad  if  you  will  come  off  and  dine  with  me  at  six 
o'clock  to-day.  I  have  come  straight  from  England,  and 
have  heard  nothing  as  to  how  matters  stand  out  here.  If  you 
will  bring  any  of  your  officers  off  with  you  I  shall  be  very  glad 
to  see  them." 

"I  have  only  two  here.     Mr.  Lester,  my  lieutenant,  will  be 


118  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

on  duty,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  Plunket  will  be  very  glad 
to  come  off  with  me  if  he  has  no  special  engagement,  which 
is  not  likely,  for  it  is  a  mighty  dull  life  here,  I  can  tell  you, 
and  it  is  glad  I  shall  be  when  the  order  comes  to  rejoin  the 
regiment  at  Corfu." 

Mr.  Beveridge  and  Horace  walked  about  for  some  time, 
and  then  returned  on  board.  They  met  their  two  Greeks  in 
the  town  shopping,  and  told  them  that  there  would  be  guests 
at  dinner.  They  met  also  Will  Martyn  and  Tarleton,  who  had 
come  ashore  a  short  time  after  them,  Miller  remaining  on 
board  in  charge;  a  good  many  of  the  men  were  also  ashore. 

"I  have  warned  them  solemnly,"  Martyn  said,  "against 
drink  and  quarrels,  but  I  am  afraid  that  to-night  and  to- 
morrow night  we  shall  have  a  good  many  of  them  coming  off 
noisy.  Wine  is  cheap,  and  as  they  haven't  set  foot  ashore  for 
five  weeks  it  is  not  in  the  nature  of  an  English  sailor  to  resist 
temptation.  I  don't  care  much  as  long  as  they  don't  get  into 
rows  with  the  Greeks.  I  have  told  them  the  boats  will  be 
ashore  at  nine  o'clock  to  fetch  them,  and  that  any  who  are 
not  down  there  by  that  hour  will  have  their  allowance  of  grog 
stopped  for  a  fortnight." 

It  had  been  arranged  with  Captain  O'Grady  that  the  boat 
should  be  at  the  steps  for  him  at  a  quarter  to  six.  Horace 
went  in  charge  of  it,  and  brought  off  the  two  officers. 

"You  have  comfortable  quarters  here,  indeed,"  Captain 
O'Grady  said  when  Mr.  Beveridge  had  introduced  his  officers 
to  him  and  his  companion.  "Sure  I  would  like  nothing  bet- 
ter than  to  travel  about  in  a  craft  like  this.  It  is  like  taking 
a  floating  palace  about  with  you."  But  if  the  officers  were 
surprised  at  the  fittings  of  the  cabin  they  were  still  more  so 
at  the  excellence  of  the  dinner.  Up  to  the  time  the  dessert 
was  placed  on  the  table  they  chatted  as  to  the  incidents  of  the 
voyage;  but  when  the  wine  had  gone  round  Mr.  Beveridge 
began  questioning  them. 

"  Of  course  you  hear  everything  that  goes  on  on  the  main- 
land, Captain  O'Grady." 


UNDER  WEIGH  119 

"  Everything,  do  you  say  ?  It  is  well  content  I  would  be  if 
that  was  all  I  heard;  but  the  thundering  lies  that  are  told  by 
those  Greek  rapscallions  are  enough  to  take  one's  breath 
away.  To  hear  them  talk  you  would  not  think  that  such 
valiant  men  had  ever  lived  since  the  days  of  Noah;  and  yet, 
with  the  exception  of  a  little  skirmish,  all  that  they  have  done 
is  to  starve  out  those  unfortunate  heathens  the  Turks,  and 
then  after  they  have  surrendered  on  promise  of  good  treat- 
ment, to  murder  them  in  cold  blood  with  their  women  and 
children." 

"I  hope  that  there  has  not  been  much  of  that,"  Mr.  Bever- 
idge  said  gravely. 

"It  depends  upon  what  you  call  much  of  it.  At  the  very 
lowest  estimate  there  have  been  thirty  thousand  murdered  in 
cold  blood  since  the  troubles  began;  and  some  accounts  put 
it  much  higher.  There  has  not  been  a  single  exception; 
nowhere  have  they  spared  a  Mussulman.  The  poor  beggars 
of  farmers  and  villagers  were  killed;  man,  woman,  and  child, 
in  hundreds  of  villages  the  whole  of  them  were  destroyed 
without  resistance;  and  it  has  been  the  same  in  all  the  large 
towns.  The  Greeks  began  the  work  at  Kalamata,  which  sur- 
rendered under  a  solemn  promise  of  their  lives  to  the  Turks; 
but  every  soul  was  slain.  And  so  it  has  been  all  along.  In 
the  district  of  Laconia  there  were  fifteen  thousand  Mussul- 
mans, and  of  these  two-thirds  at  least  were  slain.  At  Misso- 
longhi  there  are  not  twenty  Turks  alive. 

"At  Navarino  every  soul  was  murdered.  Tripolitza  sur- 
rendered only  a  week  ago,  and  I  saw  by  a  letter  from  Colonel 
Raybonde,  a  French  officer,  who  commanded  the  Greek 
artillery  during  the  siege,  that  forty-eight  hours  after  they 
entered  the  city  they  collected  about  two  thousand  persons, 
principally  women  and  children,  and  drove  them  up  a  ravine 
and  murdered  them  there;  and  altogether  eight  thousand 
Mussulmans  were  killed  during  the  sack.  I  have  heard  of 
massacres  till  I  am  sick  of  listening  to  the  stories;  and  though 
at  the  beginning  1  hoped  that  the  Greeks  would  drive  the  old 


V20  m    GREEK   WATERS 

Turks  out,  faith  I  have  come  to  think  that  if  I  were  to  hear 
that  the  whole  race  were  utterly  exterminated  I  should  feel 
more  comfortable  in  my  mind  than  I  have  been  for  some  time. 
Not  content  with  murdering  the  poor  creatures,  in  many  cases 
the  villains  tortured  them  first.  I  have  heard  fellows  who 
came  over  here  boast  of  it.  One  Albanian  ruffian  who  told 
me  that  he  had  done  this,  told  me,  sir,  as  if  it  were  a  thing  to 
be  proud  of.  I  had  the  satisfaction  of  taking  him  by  the  scruff 
of  his  neck  and  the  tail  of  his  white  petticoat  and  chucking 
him  off  the  pier  into  the  sea.  When  he  scrambled  out  I  offered 
him  the  satisfaction  of  a  gentleman,  seeing  that  he  was  a  chief 
who  thought  no  small  beer  of  himself.  There  was  a  deal  of 
difficulty  in  explaining  to  him  how  the  thing  was  managed  in 
a  civilized  country,  and  I  never  felt  more  satisfaction  in  my 
life  than  I  did  next  morning  when  I  put  a  bullet  into  the 
scoundrel's  body." 

A  wet  blanket  seemed  suddenly  to  fall  over  the  party  in  the 
cabin  as  Captain  O'Grady  was  speaking.  Horace  saw  that 
Miller,  who  was  sitting  opposite  to  him,  was  undergoing  an 
internal  convulsion  in  restraining  himself  from  bursting  into 
a  laugh;  and  Will  Martyn,  who  was  facing  Mr.  Beveridge  at 
the  bottom  of  the  table,  looked  so  preternaturally  grave  that 
Horace  felt  that  he  too  was  struggling  to  repress  a  smile. 
The  doctor  nodded,  as  if  to  signify  that  it  was  exactly  what 
he  had  expected.     Mr.  Beveridge  looked  deeply  concerned. 

"  I  have  heard  something  of  this  in  England,  Captain 
O'Grady,  though  of  course  the  Greek  agents  there  suppress 
all  news  that  would  tell  against  their  countrymen,  but  I  did 
not  think  it  was  as  bad  as  this.  Yet  although  I  do  not  for  a 
moment  attempt  to  defend  such  atrocities,  you  must  remem- 
ber how  long  the  Greeks  have  been  oppressed  by  the  Turks. 
A  people  who  have  been  in  slavery  for  hundreds  of  years  to 
strangers,  aliens  in  blood  and  in  religion,  and  themselves  in 
a  very  primitive  state  of  civilization,  except  in  the  cities, 
would  be  almost  certain  in  the  first  rising  against  their 
oppressors   to    commit  horrible   excesses.     The   same   thing 


UNDER   WEIGH  121 

happened,  although,  happily,  on  a  much  smaller  scale,  in  your 
own  country,  Captain  O' Grady,  in  '98,  and  that  without  a 
hundredth  part  of  the  excuse  that  the  Greeks  had." 

"True  for  you,  Mr.  Beveridge,"  Captain  O'Grady  admitted. 
"There's  no  denying  that  you  have  turned  the  tables  on  me 
there.  It  is  mighty  difficult,  as  you  say,  to  hold  a  savage 
peasantry  in  hand." 

"It  was  the  same  thing  in  the  French  Revolution.  That 
again  was  practically  a  revolt  of  slaves,  and  they  behaved  like 
fiends;  and  the  number  of  persons  murdered — men  of  their 
own  race  and  religion,  remember — was  at  least  as  great  as 
that  of  those  who  have  been  massacred  here.  The  revolt 
called  the  Jacquerie,  in  the  middle  ages,  was  equally  ferocious, 
and  the  number  of  victims  would  probably  have  been  as  great 
had  not  the  revolt  been  nipped  in  the  bud.  I  regret  deeply 
the  conduct  of  the  Greeks;  but  I  think  it  was  only  what  was 
to  be  expected  from  a  people  naturally  fierce  and  revengeful 
under  the  circumstances." 

"  Maybe  you  are  right,  Mr.  Beveridge,  though  I  did  not 
look  at  it  in  that  light  before." 

"And  who  are  their  leaders  now?" 

"  Faith  they  are  all  leaders.  One  day  one  hears  one  man's 
name  mentioned,  that  is  hard  enough  to  crack  one's  jaw;  the 
next  day  he  is  upset  and  another  has  taken  his  place.  Every 
dirty  little  chief  of  brigands  sets  himself  up  as  a  leader,  and 
as  they  are  about  the  only  chaps  who  understand  anything 
about  fighting  they  come  to  the  front.  If  they  only  spent  a 
twentieth  part  of  the  time  in  preparing  for  war  which  they  do 
in  quarrelling  among  themselves  as  to  their  share  of  the  spoil, 
it  seems  to  me  they  would  make  a  much  better  fight  than  they 
are  likely  to  do.  There  is  a  fellow  called  Odysseus,  which  is 
their  way  of  pronouncing  Ulysses;  he  used  to  command  the 
Mohammedan  Albanians  under  Ali  Pasha.  Now  he  has  turned 
round,  and  fights  against  his  old  master.  He  is  one  of  the 
chief  of  them.  Then  there  are  Kolokotronis  and  Mavro- 
cordatos.      I  should  say  they  are  the  two  principal  men  just  at 


122  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

present.  Then  there  is  a  chap  called  Prince  Demetrius 
Hypsilantes.  He  is  the  brother  of  a  fellow  who  got  up  the 
rising  up  in  the  north  of  the  Danube,  and  pretends  to  be  the 
head  of  all  the  Greeks.  Demetrius  says  he  is  invested  by  his 
bfbther  with  a  sort  of  viceroyalty  over  Greece,  and  wants  to 
have  it  all  his  own  way.  Then  there  are  the  Greek  bishops 
and  priests.  They  are  pretty  well  against  all  the  rest,  and 
want  to  keep  the  peasantry  under  their  thumb.  Then  there 
are  the  primates;  they  have  got  a  big  lot  of  power." 

"Do  you  mean  archbishops?"  Captain  Martyn  asked. 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it.  The  primates  are  a  sort  of  half-and-half 
officers.  They  are  supposed  to  be  chosen  by  the  people  of 
their  own  district,  and  of  course  they  are  always  the  big-wigs; 
the  chaps  with  most  power  and  influence.  Once  chosen  they 
became  Turkish  officers,  collected  the  taxes,  and  were  each 
accountable  for  the  money  and  for  the  doings  of  their  district. 
Nicely  they  ground  the  people  down  and  feathered  their  own 
nests.  Naturally,  when  the  Turks  went  they  became  the  local 
leaders.  The  people  had  no  one  else  to  look  to  but  them  and 
the  priests.  In  the  Morea  these  two  classes  have  all  the  power 
in  their  hands.  North  of  that  we  don't  hear  much  of  the 
primates.  I  don't  think  they  had  any  of  them  there.  It's 
the  Albanians,  and  the  Klephts,  that  is  the  brigands,  and 
some  of  the  fighting  clans,  such  as  the  Suliots  and  the  bands 
of  armatoli,  which  are  a  sort  of  village  militia,  who  are  the 
backbone  of  the  rising. 

"All  the  chiefs  are  jealous  of  each  other,  and  if  one  fellow 
proposes  a  plan  all  the  others  differ  from  him;  or  if  there  is 
one  of  the  big  leaders  there,  and  his  plan  is  adopted,  the 
others  either  march  away  to  their  homes  or  do  what  they  can 
to  prevent  it  from  succeeding.  The  great  thing  with  all  the 
chiefs  is  to  get  spoil.  The  people  are  different;  they  really 
want  to  fight  the  Turks  and  to  win  their  freedom;  and  it  is 
because  they  see  that  not  one  of  their  leaders  is  honest,  that 
their  jealousies  keep  them  from  any  common  actions,  and  that 
they  will  not  unite  to  form  any  central  government,  that  the 


UNDER   WEIGH  123 

people  have  no  confidence  in  them,  but  just  follow  one  man 
until  they  get  disgusted  with  him,  and  then  go  off  to  join 
another. 

"  Everything  is  wasted.  The  spoil  they  have  taken  has  been 
enormous;  but  the  people  are  little  the  better  for  it;  it  is  all 
divided  among  the  chiefs,  and  not  a  penny  of  it  has  gone 
to  form  a  fund  for  defence.  They  have  captured  enormous 
quantities  of  ammunition,  but  they  have  fired  it  away  like 
children,  just  to  please  themselves  with  the  noise.  At  one 
place  I  was  told  by  an  Englishman  who  was  there  that  the  two 
million  cartridges  they  captured  were  all  wasted  in  what  they 
called  rejoicings  in  the  course  of  three  days.  What  they  want 
is  a  big  man — a  fellow  who  will  begin  by  hanging  a  hundred 
politicians,  as  many  chiefs,  bishops,  and  primates;  who  would 
organize  first  a  government  and  then  an  army;  and  would  insist 
that  every  halfpenny  taken  as  spoil  from  the  Turks  should  be 
paid  into  the  public  treasury.  Then,  sir,  I  believe  that  the 
Greeks  would  polish  off  these  sleepy  Turks  in  no  time,  with 
the  advantage  they  have  in  knowing  every  foot  of  the  moun- 
tains, in  being  as  active  as  goats,  and  in  possessing  the  idea 
that  they  are  fighting  for  freedom.  Mind  I  don't  say  that  the 
Turks  will  beat  them  even  as  they  are.  The  Turkish  pashas 
are  as  incapable  as  the  Greek  leaders.  Their  soldiers  are 
good,  but  as  the  Greeks  have  no  regular  army,  and  no  idea  of 
standing  up  to  fight  fair,  the  Turks  can't  get  at  them,  and  the 
Greeks  can  move  about  quickly  and  fall  upon  them  at  their 
own  time;  and  besides  they  will  bring  them  to  a  standstill  by 
starvation.  They  don't  care  about  attacking  the  Turkish 
troops,  but  they  are  down  like  a  pack  of  wolves  on  a  baggage 
train,  and  if  the  Turks  venture  any  distance  from  the  sea-coast 
they  will  be  harassed  out  of  their  lives." 

"Have  the  Turks  still  the  command  of  the  sea?  There  the 
Greeks  ought  to  be  their  match  anyhow." 

"Yes,  the  Turks  still  send  their  store-ships  escorted  by  their 
men-of-war  frigates  and  corvettes.  The  Greeks  hover  round 
them  and  among  them,  but  they  take  care  to  keep  pretty  well 


124  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

out  of  range  of  the  Turkish  guns,  and  their  only  idea  of  fight- 
ing seems  to  be  to  launch  fire-ships  at  them.  A  man-of-war 
was  burnt  while  at  anchor  a  short  time  back  by  Knaris,  who 
is  the  best  sailor  the  Greeks  have  got.  Still,  at  present  the 
Turks  are  so  far  masters  of  the  sea  that  they  take  their  convoys 
where  they  like  and  can  revictual  their  fortresses  whenever 
they  have  the  energy  to  do  so.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
Greeks  scour  the  seas  in  all  directions,  and  not  a  single  mer- 
chant ship  flying  the  Turkish  flag  dare  show  her  nose  outside 
the  Dardanelles." 

"Is  the  cruelty  all  on  one  side?"  Horace  asked. 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it.  Of  course  the  Turks  have  not  had  much 
chance  yet,  but  when  they  have  had  they  have  naturally  paid 
the  Greeks  in  their  own  coin.  In  Thessaly  they  have  put 
down  the  rising  ruthlessly.  But  when  the  troops  go  into  a 
place  and  find  that  the  whole  of  their  people  have  been  mur- 
dered it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  they  set  to  to  play  the 
same  game  on  those  who  began  the  work  of  massacre.  The 
Greeks  hate  the  Turks,  and  their  object  is  to  root  them  out 
altogether.  The  Turks  despise  the  Greeks,  but  they  don't 
want  to  root  them  out  by  any  means,  because  if  they  did  there 
would  be  no  longer  any  revenue  to  collect.  The  Turks  seem 
to  strike  more  at  the  leaders.  They  have  strung  up  a  lot  of 
Greeks  living  in  Constantinople,  and  as  the  whole  affair  was 
got  up  there,  and  the  Greeks  were,  most  of  them,  taking  the 
Sultan's  pay  while  they  were  plotting  against  him,  it  is  only 
just  that  if  anyone  was  to  surfer  they  should  be  the  men. 
AVhat  I  am  afraid  of  ^is  that  when  the  news  of  this  horrible 
massacre  of  eight  thousand  people  at  Tripolitza  gets  known, 
the  Turks  in  Asia  Minor  will  everywhere  retaliate  upon  the 
Greeks  settled  among  them. 

"  They  can't  do  much  in  Greece,  for  most  of  the  people  can 
take  to  the  mountains;  but  there  are  almost  as  many  of  them 
settled  in  Asia  Minor  as  there  are  here,  for  they  are  the  traders 
and  shopkeepers  in  every  port,  and  I  am  afraid  it  will  go 
mighty  hard  with  them  everywhere  when  the  Turks  come  to 


UNDER   WEIGH  125 

know  the  atrocities  that  have  been  perpetrated  over  here.  If 
the  Greeks  had  thought  for  a  moment  when  they  began  they 
would  have  seen  that  it  was  a  game  two  could  play  at,  and  for 
every  Turk  they  could  murder  the  Turks  had  in  their  hands 
three  Greeks  at  least  that  they  could  put  an  end  to.  To  my 
mind  it  is  a  bad  business  altogether.  Plunket  will  tell  you  that 
I  have  not  put  it  a  bit  too  strongly." 

"Not  in  the  least,"  the  young  officer  said.  "The  tales 
these  fellows  tell  are  ghastly.  We  have  them  over  here  by 
dozens.  A  man  is  a  leader  one  day  and  a  fugitive  the  next; 
and  they  run  over  here  till  they  see  a  chance  of  landing  again 
and  getting  together  a  fresh  band,  and  they  actually  make  a 
boast  of  the  horrible  massacres  they  have  taken  a  part  in.  If 
the  islanders  here  saw  their  way  to  it  they  would  rise  against 
us,  and  as  it  is,  it  has  been  as  much  as  we  can  do  more  than 
once  to  prevent  their  going  on  board  neutral  vessels  that  put 
into  harbour  with  a  few  wretched  Turkish  fugitives,  and  mur- 
dering them.  The  fact  is,  the  Greeks  believe  that  they  are 
Christians,  but  they  are  just  as  much  pagans  as  they  were  two 
thousand  years  ago.  My  sympathies  are  altogether  with  them 
in  their  struggle  for  liberty,  and  I  try  to  make  every  allowance 
for  their  actions;  and  I  do  believe  that  if  what  O' Grady  says 
could  be  carried  out  and  all  their  leaders,  and  politicians, 
and  bishops,  and  primates  hung,  the  people  themselves  would 
carry  on  the  struggle  with  ten  times  the  chances  of  success 
they  have  at  present,  for  they  would  then  be  forced  to  form  a 
strong  central  government  and  might  find  some  honest  man 
to  put  at  its  head.  They  regard  it  in  the  light  of  a  religious 
war  rather  than  one  for  national  freedom,  and  I  suppose  that 
at  least  half  the  Mussulmans  who  have  fallen  are  of  Greek 
blood,  for,  especially  in  the  north,  nearly  half  the  tribes  have 
changed  their  religion  and  become  Mohammedans  since  their 
conquest." 

"  Are  there  many  Europeans  fighting  with  them?  You  men- 
tioned a  French  colonel  commanding  the  Greek  artillery  in 
the  siege  of  Tripolitza." 


120  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

"  A  good  many.  There  are  some  Austrians,  Frenchmen, 
Italians,  and  a  few  of  our  own  people.  Among  the  last  is  a 
General  Gordon  and  a  naval  lieutenant;  but  although  the 
Greeks  know  nothing  whatever  of  military  matters,  they  are 
jealous  in  the  extreme  of  any  interference  or  even  advice 
from  foreigners.  I  believe  there  are  altogether  thirty  or  forty 
foreign  officers  who  came  over  to  fight  for  them,  and  only  two 
or  three  of  these  have  got  employment  of  any  sort.  As  to  any 
attempt  to  introduce  military  discipline,  or  raise  anything  like 
a  body  of  regular  soldiers,  it  seems  impossible.  They  believe 
entirely  in  fighting  in  their  own  way  and  dispersing  when 
they  choose,  just  as  the  Spanish  guerilla  bands  did  during  the 
Peninsular  War.  In  fact  it  seems  to  me  that  the  Greek  char- 
acter resembles  the  Spanish  very  much,  the  peasantry  in  both 
countries  being  brave  and  animated  by  a  patriotic  hate  of 
their  enemies,  while  the  upper  class  are  equally  vain,  cowardly, 
given  to  boasting,  and  absolutely  faithless  to  their  promises. 
If  we  had  the  Duke  of  Wellington  here  with  a  couple  of  hun- 
dred good  officers  he  would  make  the  Greeks  into  as  good 
soldiers  as  he  did  some  of  the  Portuguese,  and  would  as  likely 
as  not  wind  up  the  war  by  driving  the  Turks  out  of  Europe 
altogether." 

At  half-past  ten  o'clock  the  officers  went  ashore.  When 
they  had  left  the  ship,  the  others  returned  to  the  cabin. 

"  I  should  not  take  it  to  heart,  Mr.  Beveridge,"  Will  Martyn 
said  cheerfully,  seeing  how  depressed  his  employer  looked  at 
the  news  he  had  heard.  "  Of  course  the  Greeks  have  behaved 
badly — horribly  badly;  but  you  see  it  is  because  the  poor 
beggars  are  not  much  better  than  savages,  and  never  will  be 
better  as  long  as  they  are  kept  down  by  the  Turks.  All  these 
things  will  right  themselves  in  time.  As  you  said,  they  are 
no  worse  than  the  French  when  they  rose,  or  than  the  Spanish 
peasantry  whenever  they  got  a  chance,  or  the  Irish  peasantry, 
and  we  must  not  look  at  it  from  our  own  standpoint;  once  they 
are  free  they  will  get  a  settled  government  and  become  a 
nation  again,  and  that  is  what  we  have  got  to  help  them  to 


A   CHANGE   OF   NAME  127 

do.  We  are  not  going  to  land  and  take  part  in  massacres. 
All  we  have  got  to  do  is  to  look  out  for  a  Turkish  ship  of  war, 
and  pull  down  her  colours  whenever  we  get  a  chance.  But 
even  more  than  that,  what  I  want  specially  to  do  as  soon  as 
we  can  is  to  get  rid  of  some  of  that  cargo  in  our  hold.  That 
is  what  is  bothering  me  at  present." 

"Thank  you,  Martyn,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said,  holding  out  his 
hand  to  him.  "  It  is  trying  to  hear  of  a  glorious  cause  being 
disgraced  by  such  horrible  atrocities,  but  the  cause  remains 
the  same,  and  the  atrocities  are,  as  you  say,  such  as  have 
occurred  among  other  peoples  when  their  blood  has  been 
heated  to  boiling  point.  This  will  not  shake  my  determina- 
tion to  aid  Greece  in  her  struggle  for  freedom." 


CHAPTER   VII 


A    CHANGE    OF    NAME 


THE  next  two  days  Mr.  Beveridge  and  Horace  spent  entirely 
on  shore.  Speaking  modern  Greek  fluently,  they  were 
able  to  converse  with  people  of  all  classes  from  the  mainland, 
and  they  learned  from  their  reports  that  Captain  O'Grady's 
account  of  the  utter  confusion  existing  from  end  to  end  of  the 
country  was  in  no  way  exaggerated.  As  soon  as  the  Greeks 
perceived  that  Mr.  Beveridge  was  a  well-wisher  to  their  cause, 
and  judging  him  from  his  possession  of  a  large  yacht  to  be  a 
wealthy  man,  innumerable  schemes  were  proposed  to  him,  all 
involving  his  placing  himself  in  the  hands  of  the  proposer  and 
advancing  him  a  considerable  sum  of  money.  These  projects 
Mr.  Beveridge  resolutely  turned  a  deaf  ear  to,  his  resolution 
being  greatly  strengthened  by  Horace,  who  distrusted  all  these 
plausible  adventurers  profoundly. 

"We  must  wait,  father,"  he  said,  "until  we  see  something 


128  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

like  a  stable  government  in  power.  When  it  has  been  at  work 
a  bit,  and  you  find  that  it  makes  its  authority  respected,  re- 
stores order,  and  unites  the  people  in  a  common  effort,  it  will 
be  time  enough  for  you  to  let  them  have  money.  To  give  it 
now  would  simply  be  to  waste  it,  and,  indeed,  worse  than 
waste  it,  for  it  would  only  add  to  the  struggle  for  power  on 
which  the  Greeks  are  wasting  their  strength.  From  all  we 
learn  the  sailors  of  Hydra,  Spetzas,  and  Psara  are  the  only 
men  who  at  present  are  acting  with  any  common  object.  As 
everything  depends  upon  crippling  the  Turks  at  sea,  I  should 
think  we  could  not  do  better  than  get  rid  of  some  of  our  guns 
and  ammunition  by  giving  them  to  them.  If  we  could  get  rid 
of  twenty  or  thirty  tons  of  our  cargo  it  would  put  us  in  first- 
rate  sailing  trim,  and  at  any  rate  get  something  off  our  minds. 
Then  from  there  we  could  sail  to  Athens  and  get  the  papers 
we  require  authorizing  us  to  act  as  a  Greek  privateer.  Of 
course  that  would  be  no  protection  to  us  if  we  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  Turks;  but  we  could  do  nothing  until  we  get 
them  without  acting  as  pirates  and  rendering  ourselves  lia- 
ble to  be  hung  by  any  European  man-of-war  that  might  over- 
haul us." 

This  course  was  determined  upon,  to  the  great  satisfaction 
of  William  Martyn;  and  after  a  stay  of  three  days  at  Zante 
sail  was  again  set,  and  the  Creole  left  the  anchorage.  It  was 
well  that  she  did  so,  for  the  next  day  all  their  Greek  sympa- 
thies would  have  been  insufficient  to  prevent  their  fighting  on 
the  other  side.  An  Algerine  barque  that  had  separated  from 
the  Turkish  fleet,  which  had  just  captured  Galaxidhi  and  had 
taken  possession  of  thirty-four  Greek  brigs,  was  attacked  by 
eighteen  Hydriot  ships.  She  refused  to  surrender,  and  made 
such  a  gallant  resistance  that  the  Hydriots  did  not  venture  to 
run  alongside  and  carry  her  by  boarding.  The  Algerines, 
knowing  that  if  their  spars  were  shot  away  they  would  all  be 
killed,  ran  her  ashore  near  the  southern  cape  of  Zante. 

The  fight  had  been  witnessed  by  thousands  of  refugee 
Moreots  and   Zanteot   peasants,  who   opened  fire  upon   the 


A   CHANGE    OF    NAME.  129 

Algerines  when  they  landed.  Two  English  officers  with 
twenty  men  had  gone  down  from  the  town  to  enforce  obe- 
dience to  the  quarantine  regulations,  which  were  very  strict. 
They  ordered  the  Greeks  to  retire,  but  these  refused,  and 
continued  to  attack  the  Turks.  The  officer  commanded  his 
men  to  fire  over  the  heads  of  the  crowd,  when  the  Zanteots 
at  once  turned  their  muskets  against  them.  One  soldier  was 
killed,  and  the  rest  retired  into  a  house  with  the  Turks  and 
defended  themselves  until  a  stronger  body  of  English  troops 
came  down  from  the  town  and  rescued  them.  For  firing  upon 
the  troops  and  killing  one  of  them  five  Zanteots  were  after- 
wards tried  and  executed,  and  the  lord  high-commissioner 
issued  a  proclamation  forbidding  the  entry  of  any  Turk  or 
Greek  men-of-war  into  any  Ionian  port. 

The  Greek  commercial  navy,  before  the  outbreak  of  the 
revolution,  consisted  to  a  large  extent  of  the  shipping  of  the 
four  little  islands  Hydra,  Spetzas,  Psara,  and  Cazos.  These 
islands,  which  were  small  and  barren,  had  sprung  into  impor- 
tance by  the  wise  policy  of  the  sultans  at  the  beginning  of  the 
eighteenth  century.  Seeing  that  the  exactions  of  their  own 
officials  rendered  it  impossible  for  the  Greek  and  Mussulman 
sailors  to  compete  with  those  of  other  nations,  they  had  ex- 
empted from  all  taxes  and  other  burdens  persons  settling  on 
these  islands,  and  had  allowed  to  them  perfect  self-govern- 
ment. The  result  had  answered  their  expectations.  Colonies 
of  Albanian  sailors  had  established  themselves  at  Hydra  and 
Spetzas,  while  Greek  seamen  had  settled  in  Psara  and  Cazos, 
and  all  four  islands  became  populous  and  flourishing,  owning 
among  them  nearly  three  hundred  craft  of  from  sixty  to  four 
hundred  tons. 

The  contrast  between  the  population  and  manners  of  the 
four  islands  was  very  marked.  The  two  Albanian  islands  were 
governed  by  twelve  primates,  elected  by  the  wealthy,  while  in 
the  Greek  islands  the  government  was  purely  democratic.  The 
Albanians  were  by  far  the  more  sincere  and  honest,  while  the 
people  of  the  two  Greek  islands  were  the  more  courteous.     All 


130  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

had  early  thrown  in  their  lot  with  the  revolution.  The  Peace 
of  1815  had  caused  a  great  reduction  in  the  price  of  grain  on 
the  Continent  and  a  fall  of  freights.  Consequently  many  ships 
remained  unemployed,  the  prosperity  of  the  islands  dimin- 
ished, and  the  sailors  became  discontented  and  clamorous  for 
employment.  Spetzas  had  been  the  first  to  declare  for  the 
revolution,  and  had  at  once  sent  off  some  ships,  which  had 
captured  a  Turkish  corvette  of  twenty-six  guns  and  a  brig  of 
sixteen,  which,  with  small  crews,  were  waiting  at  Milos  to 
receive  the  contingent  of  sailors  from  the  Albanian  islands. 
The  Turks,  expecting  no  attack,  were  taken  by  surprise;  but 
the  first  Greek  naval  success  was  dimmed  by  the  Mussulman 
prisoners  being  all  carried  to  Spetzas,  where  some  were  at 
once  murdered  and  the  rest  put  to  death  with  horrible  tortures. 

Psara  quickly  followed  the  example  of  Spetzas,  but  Hydra 
was  some  time  before  it  raised  the  Greek  flag.  The  people 
were  in  favour  of  the  revolution,  but  the  wealthy  ship-owners, 
who  possessed  all  the  power,  were  averse  to  fitting  out  their 
vessels  for  unprofitable  service,  and  opposed  the  revolution 
until  a  popular  insurrection  broke  out  and  their  authority  was 
set  aside.  The  united  fleet  of  the  three  islands,  instead  of 
attacking  the  Turkish  fleet,  which  was  occupied  in  conveying 
store-ships  to  the  besieged  garrisons,  swept  the  seas  of  mer- 
chantmen, and  attacked  and  plundered  an  Austrian  vessel. 
Two  Hydriot  brigs  captured  a  Turkish  ship,  with  a  very 
valuable  cargo,  carrying,  among  other  passengers,  a  recently- 
deposed  sheikh  El-Islam,  or  Patriarch  of  the  Mussulmans,  and 
all  his  family.  These  and  all  on  board  were  murdered  by 
their  captors;  but  the  affair  in  the  end  benefited  the  Turks, 
for  the  captors  refused  to  conform  to  the  regulation  that  had 
been  laid  down,  that  all  booty  should  be  the  common  property 
of  the  fleet.  Quarrels  began  between  the  sailors  of  the  differ- 
ent islands,  so  that  the  fleet  broke  up,  and  was  for  a  long 
time  useless  for  any  concerted  action  against  the  Turks. 

The  Creole  visited  the  three  islands  in  succession,  handing 
over  to- the  authorities  in  each  ten  guns,  with  a  considerable 


A    CHANGE    OF    NAME  131 

amount  of  powder  and  shot,  a  thousand  muskets,  and  ten 
thousand  rounds  of  ammunition.  There  was  a  large  amount 
of  shipping  in  each  of  the  harbours,  and  Will  Martyn  had  the 
Creole's  guns  all  loaded  and  double  shotted  before  entering. 

"There  is  no  saying  what  these  fellows  may  be  up  to,"  he 
remarked  to  Horace.  "Seeing  us  giving  away  so  large  a 
quantity  of  valuables,  they  may  think  that  we  have  got  a  gold 
mine  on  board.  I  don't  mean  to  close  an  eye  while  we  are  in 
harbour,  I  can  tell  you." 

Mr.  Beveridge,  personally,  was  received  with  much  honour 
at  these  islands,  and  the  guns,  which  Will  Martyn  had  taken 
care  should  be  the  largest  of  those  in  the  hold,  were  dragged 
up  by  the  people  and  placed  in  the  batteries. 

The  Creole  then  crossed  to  the  Pirseus.  The  Acropolis  of 
Athens  was  still  held  by  the  Turks,  who  were  closely  besieged 
there.  Will  Martyn  landed  with  Mr.  Beveridge.  Horace  told 
his  father  that  he  would  rather  not  accompany  him. 

"You  will  be  going  about  and  seeing  people,  father,"  he 
said,  "and,  as  you  say,  you  may  have  to  go  to  other  places  to 
find  some  of  the  nominal  authorities  to  sign  documents,  and 
so  on,  authorizing  us  to  hoist  the  Greek  flag,  and  giving  us  the 
usual  papers  carried  by  privateers.  This  may  take  time,  for 
you  and  Martyn  think  that  as  the  Greeks  themselves  have  no 
such  formalities,  but  fight  the  Turks  just  as  they  find  them,  it 
may  be  difficult  for  you  to  persuade  them  that  letters  of  marque 
are  really  required  authorizing  the  vessel,  as  a  Greek  ship,  to 
capture,  burn,  and  destroy  all  Turkish  vessels  she  may  meet." 

"It  is  a  mere  formality,  Horace." 

"Well,  father,  I  don't  think  that  Martyn  or  the  others  look 
at  it  at  all  in  that  light,  and  I  know  they  consider  it  absolutely 
necessary  that  we  should  have  papers  of  that  sort.  Even  with 
such  papers  they  say  they  expect  there  will  be  a  lot  of  diffi- 
culty, if  they  take  any  prizes,  in  disposing  of  them,  and  that, 
unless  they  have  papers  signed  by  the  central  government,  the 
chances  are  that  the  moment  a  Turkish  prize  is  brought  into 
port,  the  Greeks  will  seize  it  as  public  property,  and  want  to 


132  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

cut  the  throats  of  any  Turks  prisoners.  Certainly  we  should 
not  stand  that,  and  we  should  be  in  the  position  of  having  to 
fight  the  Turks  at  sea  and  the  Greeks  in  port.  So  I  should  not 
be  surprised  at  all  if  you  are  ten  days,  or  a  fortnight,  before 
you  can  get  all  the  papers  you  want.  Of  course  Martyn's 
signature  will  be  necessary  to  all  sorts  of  things,  and  as  there 
is  no  humbugging  him  he  will  be  wonderfully  useful  to  you  in 
all  sorts  of  ways." 

"  But  why  should  you  not  go  with  us  too,  Horace?  " 

"  I  would  very  much  rather  not,  father.  Of  course  I  am 
quite  with  you  in  wishing  to  see  Greece  independent,  but  I 
am  so  disgusted  with  all  these  stories  of  the  horrible  atrocities 
they  have  been  guilty  of,  and  at  the  way  in  which,  instead  of 
joining  together  to  fight  the  Turks,  they  are  all  bent  only  on 
getting  power  or  spoil,  and  of  behaving  more  like  a  collection 
of  bands  of  brigands  than  a  united  people,  that  I  would  rather 
not  see  any  more  of  them  at  present,  or  I  shall  get  regularly 
to  hate  them.  In  a  short  time,  I  have  no  doubt,  we  shall 
hear  of  a  lot  of  things  done  by  the  other  side.  We  may  be 
sure  that  the  Turks  will  avenge  the  eight  thousand  Mussulmans 
who  were  murdered  at  Tripolitza.  We  heard  at  Zante  that 
they  had  begun  it,  and  then  one  thing  will  balance  the  other 
and  I  may  get  enthusiastic  about  the  Greeks  again;  but  at 
present,  father,  what  I  should  like  to  see  is  this,  that  the 
Creole  should  be  employed  as  a  rescue  ship." 

"How  do  you  mean,  Horace?  " 

"  I  mean,  father,  that  we  should  try  to  save  as  many  of  these 
wretched  Turks,  and  their  women  and  children,  from  massacre 
as  we  can ;  and  on  the  other  hand,  that  we  should  try  to  save 
as  many  Greeks  as  possible  from  the  vengeance  of  the  Turks. 
There  ought  to  be  lots  of  opportunities  both  ways.  If  we  are 
with  the  Greeks  when  they  capture  a  Turkish  vessel  we  can  buy 
off  the  prisoners.  The  Greeks  are  fonder  of  money  than  even 
of  blood,  and  the  money  will  be  a  deal  better  spent  that  way 
than  if  wasted  among  the  politicians,  the  captains  of  brigands, 
or  primates,  and  would  do  good  to  the  cause  of  Greece  by 


A    CHANGE    OF    NAME  133 

saving  it  fiom  dishonour.  When  the  Greeks  make  a  descent 
upon  a  Turkish  island  we  could  send  our  boats  ashore  and 
take  off  a  lot  of  the  inhabitants,  and  we  could  do  the  same 
thing  when  the  Turks  attack  a  Greek  place  or  island;  and  if 
either  Greeks  or  Turks  interfere  with  us  at  the  work,  I  should 
say  let  us  thrash  them  whoever  they  are.  I  consider  that 
would  be  a  glorious  mission,  and  would  be  a  credit  to  the  flag 
we  fly  whether  it  is  Greek  or  English;  and  if  I  were  you  I 
should  speak  out  to  Kolokotronis,  or  any  other  leader  you  may 
meet,  and  tell  him  frankly  that  you  have  come  out  to  help  the 
Greeks  with  arms  and  money,  but  that  these  massacres  will 
turn  all  Europe  against  them  ;  and  that  unless  you  are  provided 
with  an  authority  to  take  and  hold  all  Turkish  prisoners,  and 
to  protect  them  both  from  the  populace  and  the  sailors,  you 
will  withdraw  altogether,  and  will  do  your  best  to  prevent 
such  atrocities,  even  if  it  comes  to  firing  upon  Greek  vessels 
engaged  in  them." 

"I  will  do  so,  Horace,"  his  father  said  in  a  tone  of  decis- 
ion. "We  are  a  match,  I  fancy,  for  half  a  dozen  of  the 
Greek  ships.  They  will  find  us  a  very  different  vessel  to  deal 
with  than  those  slow-sailing  Turks.  I  quite  approve  of  what 
you  say.  For  the  first  outburst  of  vengeance  when  they  rose 
I  am  willing  to  make  every  allowance;  but  the  revenge  taken 
by  the  Turks  at  Kydonia  should  have  reminded  them  that  there 
are  at  least  a  million  of  their  fellow-countrymen  in  Asia  Minor 
whose  lives  have  been  endangered  by  their  atrocities.  Hence- 
forth I  will,  as  you  propose,  devote  myself  to  saving  life,  and 
part  of  the  money  that  I  had  intended  for  the  Greeks  shall  go 
to  make  up  to  the  crew  for  any  loss  they  may  sustain  by  miss- 
ing the  chance  of  taking  prizes.  I  will  hoist  the  Greek  flag 
as  I  intended,  and  we,  at  least,  will  keep  it  unsullied." 

Horace  repeated  the  substance  of  the  conversation  to  Will 
Martyn  and  the  other  two  officers,  who  cordially  agreed;  for 
although  they  had,  of  course,  heard  less  at  Zante  of  the  details 
of  the  massacres  than  their  employer  and  his  son  had  done, 
they  had  heard  enough  to  fill  them  with  indignation,  and  to 
disgust  them  with  the  cause  that  they  had  come  out  to  defend. 


134  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

"That  will  be  first-rate,"  Martyn  said,  "and  I  can  foresee 
we  shall  have  lots  of  fun,  and  are  likely  to  end  by  fighting 
both  parties.  There  will  be  plenty  for  us  to  do.  We  will 
see  if  we  can't  cut  off  some  of  the  Turkish  vessels  laden  with 
Greek  captives  for  sale  as  slaves  in  the  markets  of  Alexandria; 
while,  as  for  the  Greeks,  if  we  slip  in  and  save  their  captives 
they  will  be  like  a  pack  of  wolves  after  their  prey.  If  I  am 
to  go  with  your  father,  Horace,  you  may  be  sure  I  will  take 
any  opportunity  I  may  get  of  speaking  out,  and  I  reckon  I 
will  open  the  eyes  of  some  of  these  Greek  swells  by  the  way  I 
will  give  it  them.  I  tell  you  what,  Miller:  While  I  am  away 
do  you  get  up  eight  of  those  eighteen-pounders  from  the  hold 
and  mount  them  instead  of  the  twelves.  Now  that  she  has  got 
so  much  of  her  weight  out  of  her  she  can  carry  them  well 
enough,  and  I  fancy  we  are  likely  to  want  as  heavy  metal  as 
we  can  mount  before  we  have  done." 

At  dinner  that  day  Horace  said:  "Are  you  thinking  of 
changing  her  name,  father,  when  you  change  your  nation- 
ality?" 

"I  wasn't  thinking  of  changing  her  name  at  all,  Horace," 
Mr.  Beveridge  said  in  surprise. 

"Well,  I  thought,  father,  the  Greeks  wouldn't  understand 
the  name  of  the  Creole  at  all.  It  was  a  good  name  for  a  slaver 
and  did  well  enough  for  a  yacht,  and  if  we  ever  take  her  back 
to  England  I  should  like  her  to  be  the  Creole ;  but  I  think  it 
would  be  better  to  have  some  name  that  the  Greeks  will  un- 
derstand." 

"What  name  would  you  propose,  Horace?  " 

"Well,  father,  I  have  been  thinking  of  it,  and  if  you  have 
no  objection  I  should  like  to  call  her  the  Misericordia,  '  the 
Pity.'  We  came  out  here  because  we  pitied  the  Greeks,  and 
now  we  pity  the  unfortunate  people,  both  Turks  and  Greeks, 
and  you  have  agreed  that  our  mission  shall  be  to  save  both  of 
them  from  slaughter." 

"  I  think  it  would  be  a  very  good  name,  Horace.  The 
Misericordia  it  shall  be.    What  do  you  say,  Captain  Martyn?  " 


A    CHANGE    OF    NAME  135 

"I  think  it  would  be  a  capital  name,  Mr.  Beveridge," 
Martyn  said,  "  and  the  crew  will  fight  all  the  better  when  they 
know  what  the  name  means  and  what  we  intend  to  do.  Sailors 
have  no  particular  love  for  the  Greeks — they  always  regard 
them  as  treacherous  beggars;  and  they  have  no  particular 
hostility  against  the  Turks,  who  fought  pluckily  enough  on 
our  side  in  Egypt,  and  have  always  been  friendly  with  us.  I 
am  sure  that  when  our  fellows  understand  that  what  we  are 
going  in  for  is  to  save  women  and  children  from  being  mur- 
dered, whether  they  happen  to  be  Greeks  or  Turks,  you  will 
find  them  ready  to  do  anything." 

The  next  day  Mr.  Beveridge  and  Will  Martyn  landed,  and 
Miller  set  the  crew  at  work  to  mount  eighteen-pounders  in 
place  of  the  twelves,  and  to  get  the  ammunition  for  them  into 
the  fighting  magazines  in  place  of  that  of  lighter  calibre. 
Zaimes  had  accompanied  Mr.  Beveridge.  Marco  remained 
on  board,  but  had  leave  every  morning  to  go  on  shore  the  first 
thing  after  breakfast,  and  to  remain  there  until  late  in  the 
afternoon,  when  he  came  off  in  time  for  dinner.  He  brought 
news  that  it  was  believed  the  Turks  in  the  Acropolis  could  not 
hold  out  much  longer,  as  their  provisions  were  running  very 
short.  After  an  absence  of  ten  days  the  party  on  shore  re- 
turned, and  an  hour  after  they  did  so  the  English  flag  was 
lowered  and  that  of  Greece  was  hoisted,  while  a  flag  with  the 
word  Misericordia  replaced  that  of  Creole  at  the  masthead. 
Captain  Martyn  called  the  crew  together. 

"My  lads,"  he  said,  "you  all  knew  that  when  we  arrived 
here  we  were  going  to  hoist  the  Greek  flag  instead  of  our  own, 
and  that  we  were  going  to  act  as  a  Greek  privateer  against  the 
Turks.  That,  you  see,  is  done,  and  we  are  authorized  by  the 
Greek  government  to  capture  or  destroy  any  Turkish  vessels 
we  may  meet.  You  see  we  have  changed  her  name,  and  I 
will  tell  you  why  Mr.  Beveridge  has  done  this.  We  are  going 
to  fight  for  Greece,  but  at  the  same  time,  as  British  sailors, 
we  are  not  going  to  stand  by  and  see  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren murdered  in  cold  blood,  whether  they  are  Turks  or  any- 


136  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

one  else.  There  has  been  a  great  deal  too  much  of  this  sort 
of  thing  done  on  both  sides,  and  we  mean  to  stop  it  as  much 
as  we  can.  We  are  going  to  prevent  the  massacre  of  Greeks 
by  Turks,  and  I  hope  we  shall  manage  to  lay  hands  on  some 
of  the  Turkish  vessels  carrying  Greek  women  and  children 
captive  to  sell  them  as  slaves;  but  on  the  other  hand  we-  in- 
tend to  save  as  many  Turks  as  we  can  from  being  massacred 
by  the  Greeks,  and  that  is  the  reason  why  Mr.  Beveridge  has 
renamed  his  craft  the  Misericordia,  which  means  'the  Pity.' 
I  am  sure,  my  lads,  that  there  is  not  a  British  sailor  who 
would  not  risk  his  life  to  save  those  of  women  and  children, 
and  that  is  what  we  mean  to  make  our  first  object,  although 
we  hope  to  lower  some  Turkish  flags  before  we  have  done  with 
them;  but  in  any  case  we  mean  to  save  life  whether  it  is  Greek 
or  Turk  we  have  to  fight  in  doing  so.  It  is  a  work,  my  lads, 
in  which  we  may  all  be  proud  to  take  part,  and  in  which, 
whether  we  fight  under  the  English  flag  or  the  Greek,  we  shall 
be  doing  a  duty  dear  to  every  British  sailor.  Now,  my  lads, 
we  will  give  three  cheers  for  the  Misericordia." 

Three  hearty  cheers  rang  out  from  the  sailors.  They  had 
all  been  on  shore  at  Zante,  and  had  heard  enough  from  the 
soldiers  they  fraternized  with  there  to  fill  them  with  disgust 
and  indignation  at  the  conduct  of  the  Greeks,  and  this  an- 
nouncement that  they  would  henceforth  put  a  stop  to  such 
cruelty,  even  if  they  had  to  fight  for  it,  filled  them  with 
satisfaction. 

"We  had  hard  work  of  it,"  Martyn  said  to  Horace,  talking 
over  his  visit  ashore.  "  In  the  first  place  they  wanted  us  to 
hand  over  all  prisoners  we  took,  and  half  the  plunder  and 
value  of  the  prizes,  to  their  miserable  government.  We  told 
them  that  we  would  see  them  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea  first.  I 
was  with  your  father  at  a  meeting  with  the  fellows  they  call 
Kolokotronis  and  Odysseus,  and  half  a  dozen  other  of  their 
leaders,  and  you  should  have  seen  how  your  father  spoke  out. 
He  got  upon  his  legs  and  he  just  poured  it  out.  I  did  not 
know,  of  course,  what  he  was  saying,  but  he  told  me  a  little 


A   CHANGE   OF   NAME  137 

about  it  afterwards,  and  I  could  see  by  their  faces  that  it  was 
hot  and  strong. 

"He  told  them  that  their  countrymen  had  disgraced  their 
cause  by  conduct  worthy  only  of  the  lowest  savages,  and  that 
if  they  did  not  give  him  the  authority  he  demanded,  to  inter- 
pose to  save  Turks  from  massacre,  he  would  sail  on  to  Con- 
stantinople, hoist  the  Turkish  flag,  and  fight  against  the  ships 
that  behaved  like  bloodthirsty  pirates  rather  than  Greek 
patriots,  and  that  they  would  find  his  ship  a  very  different 
opponent  to  the  Turks.  I  did  not  think  your  father  had  it  in 
him.  It  was  splendid,  I  can  tell  you,  and  the  faces  of  those 
fellows  were  worth  seeing.  I  don't  expect  they  ever  had  such 
a  straight  talking  to  before.  I  believe  altogether  he  spent 
about  a  thousand  pounds  in  bribing  a  dozen  of  them;  anyhow 
he  got  what  he  wanted.  In  the  first  place  we  are  authorized 
to  hoist  the  Greek  flag,  and  to  capture  and  destroy  Turkish 
vessels;  and  in  the  second,  to  dispose  as  we  please  of  all 
prisoners.  We  may  take  on  board  Turkish  fugitives  and  dis- 
pose of  them  at  our  pleasure,  free  from  all  interference  from 
any  Greek  authorities  or  Greek  ships.  We  are  to  pay  a  quar- 
ter of  the  value  of  all  prizes  and  booty  into  the  treasury  of  the 
central  government,  and  are  to  send  ashore  to-morrow  five 
thousand  muskets  and  twenty  rounds  of  ammunition  for  each. 

"Your  father  has  had  a  hard  time  of  it.  I  don't  believe 
there  has  been  a  single  Greek  politician  or  leader  who  hasn't 
called  upon  him  privately,  to  what  they  call  borrow  money 
from  him.  At  last  I  had  to  regularly  mount  guard  over  him 
and  set  Zaimes  at  his  door  to  tell  all  comers  that  he  was  too 
unwell  to  see  anyone,  which  was  not  far  from  the  truth,  for  he 
was  regularly  upset  at  the  meanness  and  trickery  of  the  people 
he  had  come  to  spend  his  fortune  to  assist.  However,  thank 
goodness  it  is  all  over.  I  am  precious  glad  that  I  am  back,  I 
can  tell  you,  for  I  believe  if  I  had  stayed  there  much  longer 
I  should  not  have  been  able  to  have  prevented  myself  from 
walking  into  some  of  them.  Your  father  has  been  trying  to 
find  out  whether  they  have  got  any  general  plan  of  defence; 


138  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

but  they  have  no  more  plan  than  a  lot  of  children  would  have 
if  they  got  up  a  rebellion.  Everyone  wants  to  be  a  leader; 
everyone  complains  of  everyone  else.  They  scarcely  seem  to 
give  the  Turks  a  thought.  All  their  energies  are  occupied 
by  their  own  miserable  squabbles  and  rivalry.  Well,  I  don't 
want  to  set  foot  on  shore  again  as  long  as  we  are  out  here, 
unless  it  is  on  some  real  expedition." 

"What  about  the  Turks  in  the  Acropolis,  Martyn?  " 

"They  are  negotiating,  but  the  poor  beggars  know  there  is 
no  faith  to  be  placed  in  the  Greeks,  and  that  so  far  there  is 
not  a  single  instance  in  which  they  have  kept  their  promises 
for  the  safety  of  garrisons  who  have  surrendered.  They  want 
the  guarantee  of  the  European  consuls  for  their  safety,  but 
they  can't  give  it,  as  they  have  no  force  here  to  protect  them. 
I  told  our  consul  that  we  would  lend  him  the  whole  of  our  crew 
if  he  liked,  and  that  I  thought  we  could  pretty  well  clear  out 
the  town;  but  he  said  that  that  would  be  well  enough  if  there 
was  no  one  to  protect.  But  that  as  there  are  something  like 
two  thousand  men,  women,  and  children  up  in  the  citadel, 
fifty  men  could  never  protect  them  against  the  mob.  How- 
ever, I  hope  the  Turks  will  be  able  to  hold  out  for  some  time 
yet.  The  Greeks  only  guess  that  their  provisions  are  running 
short,  and  if  a  man-of-war,  French,  or  English,  or  Austrian, 
comes  into  the  harbour  the  consuls  will  ask  its  commander  to 
protect  the  Turks,  and  will  then  guarantee  their  safety." 

"When  are  we  going  to  sail?  "  Horace  asked. 

"To-morrow.  The'two  Greeks  will  go  ashore  the  first  thing 
in  the  morning  to  lay  in  a  fresh  stock  of  meat  and  vegetables. 
As  soon  as  all  are  on  board  we  will  get  up  anchor.  I  have 
heard  lots  of  shocking  stories  on  shore  from  Greeks  who  have 
escaped  from  Asia  Minor  and  the  Turkish  islands.  There 
have  been  massacres  in  almost  every  city  where  there  were 
Greeks;  at  Smyrna,  Adrianople,  Salonika,  Cos,  Rhodes,  in 
Crete  and  Cyprus,  and  as  far  as  I  can  hear  the  Turks  have 
altogether  massacred  nearly  as  many  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren as  the  Greeks  have  done.     I  saw  General  Gordon,  who 


A    CHANGE    OF    NAME  139 

is  a  warm  friend  of  the  Greeks,  and  he  said  that  it  was  impos- 
sible to  justify  the  ferocity  of  the  Greeks,  or  to  deny  that  a 
comparison  between  them  and  the  Turks  would  give  the  latter 
the  palm  of  humanity;  that  is,  if  the  term  humanity  could  be 
employed  to  either. 

"  We  went  up  and  saw  some  of  the  troops,  as  they  call  them, 
active,  hardy-looking  fellows.  They  seem  in  earnest  enough, 
and  are  ready,  as  a  French  officer  said  to  me,  to  submit  to 
anything  but  discipline.  He  said  that  the  Klephts  and  ar- 
matoli  are  as  fine  material  for  mountain  warfare  as  one  could 
wish  to  see;  one  day  honest,  hard-working  peasants,  the  next 
engaged  in  partisan  war,  or  in  raids  on  their  neighbours; 
frugal,  hardy,  active,  and  in  their  way  brave;  men  who  would 
never  storm  a  position  or  stand  against  the  attack  of  Turkish 
infantry  or  cavalry,  as  the  war  has  everywhere  shown  so  far : 
but  who  would  defend  a  hillside  or  hold  a  ravine  against  good 
troops,  and  when  driven  out,  make  another  stand  at  the  first 
position  they  came  to.  Anyhow  they  are  worth  a  lot  more 
than  the  townspeople,  who  brag  and  vapour  and  go  about 
armed  to  the  teeth,  but  who  take  precious  good  care  never  to 
get  within  range  of  a  Turkish  musket." 

Early  the  next  morning  some  large  boats  came  off,  and  the 
muskets  and  ammunition  were  transferred  to  them,  and  at  noon 
the  two  Greeks  brought  off  a  boat-load  of  fresh  meat,  vegeta- 
bles, fowls,  eggs,  fruit,  and  other  stores.  xA.s  soon  as  these 
were  slung  on  board,  the  anchor  was  got  up,  and  the  MiseH- 
cordia,  under  a  gentle  breeze,  stole  out  to  sea. 

"That  is  better,  Miller,"  Will  Martyn  said  as  he  looked 
over  the  side.  "She  has  not  gone  like  that  since  we  shook 
out  our  sails  for  the  first  time.  I  should  say  she  is  just  about 
in  her  right  trim  now,  and  is  ready  to  fight  or  sail  anything  of 
her  size  afloat.  How  easily  she  goes  through  the  water. 
There  is  scarcely  a  ripple  in  her  wake.     She  is  a  beauty." 

"Which  port  now,  Martyn?" 

"  I  was  talking  it  over  last  night  with  Mr.  Beveridge,  and  as 
soon  as  we  get  well  off  land  I  am  going  to  shape  a  course  that 


140  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

will  take  us  down  between  Cyprus  and  Alexandria.  It  is  of  no 
use  cruising  about  here.  The  Turks  only  move  about  under  a 
convoy  of  their  men-of-war,  and  it  would  not  be  much  better 
across  on  the  other  side,  for  the  Greek  vessels  are  everywhere 
on  the  look-out.  But  they  don't  like  going  far  from  home, 
and  if  we  cruise  well  to  the  south  we  shall  have  a  good  chance 
of  falling  in  with  craft  bound  for  Alexandria  from  Cyprus, 
Crete,  and  Syria,  and  any  or  all  of  them  will  be  likely  to  be 
carrying  Greeks  captives  to  the  slave-markets  at  Alexandria, 
Tunis,  or  Tripoli." 

"Those  are  the  sort  of  craft  to  meet  with,"  Miller  said. 
"  I  suppose  they  are  sure  to  be  armed.  Of  course  one  would 
be  glad  to  rescue  captives  and  save  them  from  their  horrible 
fate.  But  there  will  be  much  more  satisfaction  in  doing  it  if 
we  have  a  bit  of  a  fight  first." 

"  Yes,  I  should  say  they  were  certain  to  be  armed.  No  Turk 
would  venture  to  sea  at  present  unless  he  thought  himself  strong 
enough  to  beat  off  the  attack  of  at  least  two  or  three  of  these 
Greek  vessels.  After  cruising  about  for  a  bit  we  intend  to 
dodge  about  Cyprus  and  the  other  Turkish  islands,  keeping 
near  the  coast  so  as  to  give  Greek  fugitives  a  chance  of  com- 
ing on  board.  We  know  that  there  have  been  massacres  at 
all  these  islands,  and  may  be  again,  and  there  must  be  thou- 
sands of  unfortunate  creatures  who  would  give  anything  for 
such  a  chance  of  getting  away.  We  can  anchor  in  quiet  bays, 
for  we  need  have  no  fear  of  any  boat  attack;  and  if  the  Turks 
come  out  in  force  we  have  always  the  option  of  running  away 
or  fighting." 

"That  is  a  very  good  programme,  Martyn.  We  are  not 
likely,  as  you  say,  to  find  any  Greek  craft  cruising  about 
between  Cyprus  and  Alexandria.  Turkish  vessels  going  up 
towards  the  Dardanelles,  or  coming  down  from  there,  are 
prizes  worth  taking,  for  they  may  have  pashas  and  rich  officials 
on  board;  but  down  there  they  would  be  less  likely  to  have 
anything  that  would  repay  the  Greeks  for  the  risks  of  a  fight. 
As  for  risking  anything  to  save  their  countrymen,  Mr.  Bever- 


A   CHANGE   OF   NAME  141 

idge  was  saying  he  heard  that  at  the  massacre  of  the  Greeks 
at  Kydonia,  although  the  Greek  fleet,  under  Tombazes,  was 
close  at  hand,  and  their  launches  went  on  shore  and  rescued 
four  thousand  of  their  countrymen,  they  compelled  them  all 
to  purchase  their  passage  to  the  nearest  Greek  island  by  giv- 
ing up  the  greater  part  of  the  property  they  had  saved." 

"Brutes!  "  Martyn  exclaimed  with  great  emphasis.  "How 
these  fellows  can  be  descendants  of  the  old  Greeks  beats  me 
altogether." 

"The  old  Greeks  were  pretty  cruel,"  Horace,  who  had  just 
joined  them,  said.  "They  used  to  slaughter  their  captives 
wholesale,  and  mercy  wasn't  among  their  virtues.  Besides, 
my  father  says  that  except  in  the  Morea  very  few  indeed  are 
descendants  of  the  Greeks;  the  rest  are  Bulgarian  or  Albanian, 
neither  of  whom  the  Greeks  of  old  would  have  recognized  as 
kinsmen." 

"  It  is  a  case  of  distance  lending  enchantment  to  the  view," 
Miller  laughed;  "our  illusions  are  gone."  • 

"Never  mind,  we  must  make  the  best  of  them,  Miller; 
they  are  not  Greeks,  but  at  any  rate  they  are  all  that  is  left  of 
the  Greeks.  Their  actions  show  that  their  Christianity  is  a 
sham,  but  at  the  same  time  they  are  an  intelligent  race  capa- 
ble of  some  day  becoming  a  great  people  again,  and  they  are 
struggling  to  throw  off  the  yoke  of  a  race  intellectually  their 
inferiors  and  incapable  of  progress  in  any  sort  of  way.  That 
is  what  my  father  said  to  me  as  we  were  walking  up  and  down 
the  deck  this  morning.  That  is  the  light  I  mean  to  look  at 
it  in  the  future.  It  is  a  capable  people  struggling  with  an 
incapable  one,  and  if  they  are  savage  and  vindictive  and  de- 
based it  is  the  faults  not  of  themselves  but  of  those  who  have 
so  long  been  their  masters." 

"Good,"  Martyn  said;  "that  is  the  most  satisfactory  view 
of  the  thing,  and  we  will  stick  to  it  and  shut  our  ears  as  much 
as  possible  in  future  against  all  stories  to  the  Greeks'  disad- 
vantage." 

In  the  afternoon  a  fleet  of  vessels  were  seen  standing  out 
from  the  land. 


142  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

"There  is  one  of  the  Greek  fleets,"  Captain  Martyn  said. 
"  Now  we  will  try  her  rate  of  sailing  with  them.  Stand  on  for 
a  little  bit  longer  and  then  haul  her  wind  on  the  same  tack 
they  are  sailing." 

The  trial  was  perfectly  satisfactory.  By  nightfall  the  Greek 
fleet  were  far  behind,  and  the  Misericordia  again  shaped  her 
course  for  Cyprus.  For  a  week  they  cruised  backwards  and 
forwards  under  easy  sail  about  midway  between  Cyprus  and 
Alexandria,  without  meeting  with  a  single  craft  flying  the 
Turkish  flag.  Half  a  dozen  vessels  were  overhauled,  but 
these  were  all  Austrian,  Italian,  or  British.  The  appearance 
of  the  schooner  evidently  excited  profound  distrust  in  the 
minds  of  the  masters  of  all  these  vessels,  for  they  all  hoisted 
every  rag  of  sail  they  could  set  and  did  their  best  to  escape 
from  her,  but  Captain  Martyn  had  no  difficulty  in  overhaul- 
ing them  and  satisfying  himself  of  their  nationality.  The 
astonishment  of  the  masters  when  the  smart  gig  manned  by  six 
English  sailors  rowed  alongside  was  unbounded,  and  was  only 
equalled  by  their  satisfaction. 

"You  have  given  us  a  nice  fright,"  the  master  of  one  of  the 
English  ships  said  to  Miller,  who,  accompanied  by  Horace, 
had  boarded  him.  "What  on  earth  are  you  flying  that  Greek 
flag  for?  We  took  you  for  a  pirate,  for  half  these  fellows  are 
no  better  when  they  get  the  chance." 

"We  are  a  Greek  privateer."  Miller  said,  "and  carry  letters 
of  marque  issued  by  the  Greek  government.  We  only  wanted 
to  assure  ourselves  that  you  were  not  Turks." 

"Turks  be  jiggered  !  "  the  master  said  angrily.  "I  should 
have  thought  anvone  with  half  an  eye  could  have  seen  that  we 
weren't  one  of  those  lubberly  Turks." 

"  Quite  so,  captain,  we  made  that  out  some  time  ago,  and 
we  have  only  overhauled  you  to  ask  whether  you  know  of  a 
Turkish  ship  likely  to  be  sailing  from  any  of  the  Eastern  ports. 
Our  object  is  to  rescue  Greek  women  and  children  on  their 
way  to  the  slave-markets." 

"Then  give  us  your  flipper,"  the  master  said;  "that  is  a 


A    CHANGE    OF    NAME  l-Ail 

business  an  English  sailor  needn't  be  ashamed  of,  though,  as 
for  sailing  under  a  Greek  flag,  I  would  almost  as  lief  sail  under 
the  skull  and  cross-bones,  for  nine  cases  out  of  ten  it  means 
pretty  nearly  the  same  thing.  I  have  known  many  a  ship  sail 
in  among  those  Greek  islands  and  never  be  heard  of  again 
when  there  had  been  no  storm  to  account  for  her  disappear- 
ance. I  would  as  lief  anchor  a  ship  near  land  in  the  Malay 
Archipelago  as  among  the  Greek  islands.  Still  the  women 
and  children  ain't  to  blame  for  that.  I  was  at  Broussa  two 
months  ago  and  the  slave-market  was  chock-full  of  Greek  girls 
and  children,  and  I  thought  then  what  a  burning  shame  it 
was  that  Europe  didn't  interfere  to  put  down  such  villainous 
doings.  Well  now,  as  to  Turkish  ships,  I  don't  think  you 
are  likely  to  meet  with  any  hereabouts.  The  Greeks  have 
given  them  a  bad  scare,  and  I  fancy  that  all  the  ships  from 
Cyprus  and  from  Aleppo  and  the  other  Syrian  ports  will  run 
down  due  south  till  they  sight  land,  and  will  hug  that  as  near 
as  they  dare  go  till  they  get  within  shelter  of  the  batteries  of 
Alexandria.  If  you  are  after  Turkish  vessels  you  must  stand 
south  and  anchor  as  close  inland  as  the  water  will  let  you. 
Get  down  those  lofty  spars  of  yours.  You  don't  want  them. 
That  craft  of  yonrs  sails  like  a  witch.  We  think  the  Scar- 
borough is  a  fast  brig.  You  went  through  the  water  three  feet 
to  our  two,  so  you  can  do  without  your  topsails.  I  can  tell 
you  the  look  of  your  craft  is  enough  to  frighten  one  fifteen 
miles  away :  a  more  rascally-looking  vessel  I  never  saw,  she 
looks  like  a  pirate  all  over." 

"She  was  a  slaver  at  one  time,"  Miller  said. 

"  Ah !  that  accounts  for  it.  I  thought  that  long  low  hull 
and  those  lofty  spars  were  never  put  together  for  an  honest 
purpose.  You  seem  to  carry  mighty  heavy  metal,"  he  went 
on,  looking  at  the  Misericordia,  which  lay  with  her  head  sails 
aback  a  few  hundred  yards  away.  "  Four  each  side  and  a  pivot; 
they  look  like  eighteens." 

"They  are  eighteens,"  Miller  said.  "You  see  we  have  got 
to  keep  a  sharp  eye  on  friends  as  well  as  foes." 


144  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

"I  should  think  so.  Well,  I  have  just  come  out  from 
Larnaca.  I  heard  from  our  consul  that  there  were  bad  doings 
in  the  north  of  the  island,  and  that  the  Christians  were  having 
a  very  rough  time  of  it  all  through  Cyprus.  I  have  no  doubt 
there  are  a  lot  of  Christians  hiding  there  who  would  give  every 
stiver  they  have  got  in  the  world  to  be  on  board  this  craft." 

"  And  you  say  there  were  some  massacres  going  on  when 
you  were  there? " 

"  Yes,  and  I  heard  that  the  Turks  were  attacking  one  of  the 
Christian  villages  on  the  north-western  corner  of  the  island. 
It  was  some  way  up  on  Mount  Olympus,  a  few  miles  from  the 
coast.  Morphou  Bay  is  the  nearest  point  to  it.  I  hear  it  is 
naturally  a  strong  place,  and  Christians  from  other  villages 
round  have  gone  in  there.  The  people  attacking  it  are  not 
troops,  who  I  fancy  have  nothing  to  do  with  these  massacres, 
but  the  natives  of  the  Mussulman  villages.  Some  of  the  poor 
devils  may  have  got  down  to  the  coast,  and  you  might  pick 
some  up  if  you  were  to  cruise  along  there." 

"Perhaps  we  might,"  Horace  said;  "at  any  rate  it  would 
be  worth  a  try.     We  will  go  on  board  again  at  once." 

"Will  you  have  a  glass  of  wine  first?  I  got  hold  of  some 
good  stuff  at  Larnaca.     Good  wine  is  cheap  there  now." 

"No,  thank  you,  we  will  be  off  at  once,"  Miller  said. 

"Well,  good-bye,  gentlemen,  and  good  luck  to  you  !  There 
is  nothing  I  would  like  better  than  to  be  going  for  a  cruise 
with  you  for  a  few  months,  for  no  vessel  can  do  better  work 
than  that  which  you  are  engaged  on." 

Miller  and  Horace  dropped  down  into  their  boat,  and  were 
rowed  back  to  the  schooner. 


A    BESIEGED    VILLAGE  145 


CHAPTER   VIII 

A    BESIEGED    VILLAGE 

A  S  soon  as  they  gained  the  deck  of  the  Misericordia  Miller 
■**  reported  the  advice  the  skipper  of  the  English  brig  had 
given  as  to  their  taking  their  station  near  the  southern  coast, 
to  pick  up  vessels  hugging  the  shore  on  their  way  to  Alexandria 
and  the  west. 

"  I  have  no  doubt  he  is  right,"  Will  Martyn  said;  "that 
accounts  for  our  not  having  seen  a  single  craft  flying  the  Turk- 
ish flag.  Well,  Mr.  Beveridge,  I  think  we  can't  do  better  than 
take  his  advice." 

"There  is  something  else  though,"  Horace  broke  in;  and 
he  then  told  them  what  the  captain  had  said  about  the  fighting 
among  the  villagers  on  Mount  Olympus. 

"Don't  you  think,  father,  we  might  go  there  first?  With 
this  wind  we  should  not  be  much  more  than  twenty-four  hours 
getting  there,  and  we  might  pick  up  a  lot  of  fugitives  in  hid- 
ing and  possibly  bring  off  the  people  from  that  village.  It 
would  not  be  a  great  loss  of  time  anyhow." 

"I  think  we  might,  Horace;  hearing  of  it  in  the  way  you 
did,  it  seems  almost  like  a  call  to  help  them.  What  do  you 
say,  Captain  Martyn?" 

"Just  as  you  like,  sir.  As  Horace  says,  it  is  no  great  loss 
of  time  anyhow,  and  we  certainly  may  do  some  good." 

The  order  was  given  and  the  schooner  was  headed  for 
Cyprus  with  a  brisk  wind  on  her  beam  that  heeled  her  well 
over  and  sent  her  through  the  water  at  nine  and  a  half  knots 
an  hour.  The  news  was  soon  known  through  the  vessel  that 
there  were  massacres  going  on  in  Cyprus,  and  that  there  might 
be  some  work  to  be  done,  so  there  was  an  air  of  increased 
activity  and  animation  among  the  crew.  The  wind  held 
steadily,  and  next  morning  the  mountains  of  Cyprus  could  be 
seen  lying  like  a  cloud  in  the  distance,  and  by  eleven  o'clock 


146  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

the  north-westerly  point  of  the  island  was  but  five  or  six  miles 
away.  Rounding  the  point  they  entered  the  great  indenta- 
tion known  as  Morphou  Bay.  Martyn  now  ordered  the  topsails 
to  be  lowered. 

"We  will  run  along  about  a  mile  off  shore,"  he  said;  "they 
can  make  out  the  flag  then.  We  will  go  along  as  far  as  the 
other  end  of  the  bay  and  then  come  back  again.  If  there  are 
any  people  in  hiding  in  the  woods  they  will  keep  an  eye  on 
us,  and  as  we  come  back  will  come  off  in  boats  if  they  have 
got  them,  or  will  come  down  to  the  shore  and  signal.  We 
can  send  our  boats  in  for  them." 

As  they  were  still  going  through  the  water  faster  than  they 
wished  the  foresail  was  also  lowered,  and  they  then  went 
quietly  along  the  coast,  keeping  a  sharp  look-out  with  their 
glasses  on  the  shore.  They  passed  several  villages  and  could 
see  that  their  appearance  created  much  excitement,  and  that 
the  population  at  once  deserted  their  houses  and  made  off. 

"They  are  evidently  all  Mussulman  villages,"  Mr.  Bever- 
idge  said. 

"They  are  Mussulman  villages  at  present,  Mr.  Beveridge," 
Martyn  agreed,  "  but  the  chances  are  they  were  Christian  a 
short  time  ago.  You  see  they  have  all  got  fishing  boats  either 
riding  at  anchor  or  hauled  up,  and  I  fancy  that  most  of  the 
fishing  is  done  by  the  Greek  inhabitants.  I  expect  the  Turks 
have  cleared  them  out.  What  do  you  say,  Mr.  Beveridge,  to 
our  firing  a  shot  or  two  at  each  of  the  villages  as  we  pass? 
That  will  act  as  a  warning  to  the  Turks  to  keep  out  of  range. 
If  there  are  any  Christians  left  they  may  take  the  opportunity 
of  seizing  the  boats  and  coming  off.  We  might  lie-to  for 
half  an  hour  opposite  each  village  to  give  them  a  chance  of 
doing  so." 

"That would  be  a  very  good  plan,  I  think,  Captain  Martyn." 

As  they  were  passing  a  village  at  the  moment  the  Miseri- 
cordia  was  at  once  brought  round.  Two  of  the  broadside  guns 
were  loaded,  and  two  shots  were  sent  over  the  village.  Then 
the  craft  was  hove-to,  and  waited  for  half  an  hour.     As  there 


A    EESIEGED    VILLAGE  147 

were  no  signs  of  life,  she  again  proceeded  on  her  way.  Three 
more  villages  were  fired  at  with  the  same  result.  Half  a  mile 
beyond  the  furthest  Tarleton  exclaimed :  "  There  is  someone 
swimming  off,  Captain  Martyn;  he  has  just  put  off  from  that 
point !  There,  do  you  see  that  black  spot  a  little  way  off  the 
point?  " 

Martyn  turned  his  glass  in  that  direction.  "I  see  him," 
he  said.  "Lower  the  small  gig,  Mr.  Tarleton;  take  four 
hands,  row  off,  and  pick  him  up.  You  had  better  go  too, 
Horace.    The  chances  are  he  won't  speak  anything  but  Greek." 

In  a  couple  of  minutes  the  boat  left  the  side  of  the  schooner 
and  rowed  in  the  direction  of  the  swimmer,  the  vessel  being 
again  thrown  up  into  the  wind.  Horace  stood  up  while 
Tarleton  took  the  tiller  lines. 

"Can  you  see  him,  Horace?"  he  asked. 

"No,  not  yet.  There  is  too  much  ripple  on;  but  if  you 
keep  her  head  as  it  is  now  I  shall  make  him  out  before  long." 
Three  or  four  minutes  later  he  exclaimed:  "I  see  him,  he  is 
dead  ahead !  " 

Five  minutes  later  the  swimmer  was  alongside.  He  was  a 
lad  of  about  Horace's  age. 

"Are  you  Greek?  "  he  asked  in  surprise  and  in  some  alarm, 
as  he  looked  at  the  uniforms  of  the  crew  as  Horace  helped 
him  on  board. 

"We  are  fighting  for  Greece,"  Horace  said,  "although  we 
are  all  English.  We  heard  that  there  was  some  trouble  here, 
and  came  to  see  if  we  could  save  any  fugitives." 

"I  saw  the  flag,"  the  lad  said,  "and  heard  you  fire  twice 
at  the  village.  My  mother  and  sisters,  and  twenty  or  thirty 
others,  are  hidden  in  the  wood  there.  The  Mussulmans  came 
down  from  the  mountain  villages  three  days  ago  and  killed  all 
they  could  find;  but  we  were  expecting  it,  for  they  had  gone 
to  the  next  village  first,  and  a  man  from  there  brought  the 
news  just  before  they  arrived.  We  lived  on  the  outskirts  and 
had  time  to  get  away,  but  I  think  my  father  and  brothers  have 
been  killed.     Do  go  on  shore  and  take  them  off." 


148  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

"We  must  go  back  to  the  ship  first,"  Horace  said.  "This 
boat  is  too  small  to  be  of  any  use;  besides,  we  must  send  a 
stronger  crew.  No  doubt  the  Turks  are  watching  us,  and  will 
come  down  if  they  see  us  landing." 

The  schooner  had  filled  again  and  was  following  the  boat, 
so  that  in  two  or  three  minutes  they  were  on  board.  Horace 
lent  the  young  Greek  some  of  his  clothes,  and  the  schooner 
stood  in  towards  the  point,  with  a  man  in  the  chains  sounding 
as  they  went. 

"Ask  him  whereabouts  they  are,  Horace." 

"Just  on  the  other  side  of  the  point;  but  they  will  see  us 
coming." 

"I  see  no  signs  of  them  yet,"  Tarleton  said  when,  having 
got  within  three  hundred  yards  of  shore,  the  anchor  was  let  go. 

"It  is  likely  enough,"  said  Martyn,  "that  some  of  the  Turks 
may  have  been  coming  down  through  the  wood,  and  if  the 
poor  beggars  heard  them  they  would  not  dare  show  themselves. 
Now,  Mr.  Miller,  you  take  charge  of  the  long-boat  with  ten 
men.     We  will  cover  your  landing." 

The  four  broadside  guns  were  loaded  with  grape,  and  their 
crews  mustered  to  quarters,  while  the  rest,  armed  with  mus- 
kets, lined  the  side. 

"Take  the  boy  with  you,  Mr.  Miller,  he  can  lead  you  to 
where  his  friends  are  hiding.  Don't  stop  to  fire  as  you  make 
for  shore.     We  will  dispose  of  any  Turks  there  may  be  about." 

The  boat  had  not  rowed  more  than  fifty  yards  before  five  or 
six  musket  shots  were  fired  from  the  bushes  near  the  edge  of 
the  water. 

"  Give  them  a  round  with  the  aftermost  gun,"  Gaptain  Martyn 
said;  and  in  a  moment  the  water  near  the  bushes  was  torn  up 
with  a  shower  of  grape.  "  Give  the  next  gun  more  elevation, 
boatswain.  Send  the  shot  well  into  the  wood.  That's  it. 
The  same  with  the  other  two  guns.  That  will  clear  them  all 
out." 

There  was  no  further  firing  at  the  boat.  As  soon  as  it 
touched  the  shore  Miller  jumped  ashore  with  eight  of  the  men, 


GIVE   nu.M   A    ROUND,"    SAID   CAPTAIN   MARTYN 


A   BESIEGED   VILLAGE  149 

while  the  other  two  pushed  the  boat  off  a  few  yards.  Led  by 
the  Greek  boy,  the  party  ran  along  the  shore  and  were  lost  to 
view  round  the  point.  Two  more  rounds  were  fired  into  the 
wood,  but  everything  was  quiet  there,  and  in  five  minutes 
Miller's  party  made  their  appearance  round  the  point  with  a 
number  of  fugitives.  No  time  was  lost  in  getting  them  into 
the  boat,  which  at  once  rowed  off  to  the  schooner.  There 
were  but  three  men  among  them,  the  rest  were  women  and 
children.      Most  of  them  were  completely  exhausted. 

Horace,  after  asking  them  a  question  or  two,  said  to  Zaimes  : 
"  You  had  better  prepare  some  soup,  Zaimes,  as  quickly  as  you 
can.      They  have  had  nothing  to  eat  for  three  days." 

While  this  was  being  done,  a  sip  of  wine  and  a  mouthful 
of  bread  were  given  to  each.  In  the  meantime  some  sailors 
were  rigging  up  a  partition  with  sail-cloth  across  the  main 
deck,  and  here  hammocks  were  slung  for  the  use  of  the  women 
and  children.  As  soon  as  the  poor  creatures  had  taken  a  basin 
of  hot  soup  they  revived  a  good  deal  and  poured  out  expres- 
sions of  profuse  gratitude  to  their  rescuers.  They  had  passed 
a  terrible  three  days  crouching  among  the  bushes,  and  expect- 
ing every  moment  to  be  discovered.  A  few  of  the  women  had 
snatched  up  their  jewels  before  taking  to  flight,  but  most  of 
them  were  absolutely  destitute.  Mr.  Beveridge  and  the  two 
Greeks  persuaded  them  to  go  below  and  take  the  sleep  they 
so  much  needed.  As  soon  as  the  deck  was  clear  the  anchor 
was  got  up,  and  the  schooner  proceeded  on  her  way.  She 
reached  the  farthest  headland  of  the  bay  just  as  night  began 
to  fall,  and  Martyn  decided  to  anchor  there  till  morning. 
From  the  Greek  lad  who  had  first  swum  off,  they  learned  that 
the  village  among  the  mountains  still  resisted. 

"They  say  there  are  two  or  three  hundred  there  who  have 
taken  refuge  from  the  villages  round.  There  are  some  rich 
men  among  them,  and  that  is  the  reason  why  the  Mussulmans 
are  so  anxious  to  take  the  place." 

"  i  low  many  men  are  besieging  it?  " 

"That  I  don't  know,"  the  boy  replied.  "I  should  think 
four  or  five  hundred." 


150  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

"But  you  have  heard  nothing  for  the  last  three  days?  The 
place  may  have  fallen  since  then." 

"No,  I  went  last  night  to  the  village  in  hopes  of  finding 
bread  in  some  of  the  houses,  but  there  were  too  many  Turks 
about.  I  was  near  enough  to  hear  them  talking.  Some  of 
them  were  going  up  to-day  to  join  in  the  siege." 

"How  far  is  the  place  from  the  sea?" 

"It  is  ten  miles  from  this  north  shore,  but  it  is  not  more 
than  four  or  five  from  the  western  coast." 

"  Is  there  any  road  ?  " 

"  Not  from  that  side.  The  roads  from  the  mountain  villages 
all  lead  down  to  the  bay." 

"Is  it  too  steep  to  climb  from  the  other  side?" 

"  Not  too  steep  to  climb  on  foot.  Donkeys  and  mules 
could  get  up  there." 

The  matter  was  talked  over  in  the  cabin  that  evening,  and 
it  was  agreed  that  if  a  guide  could  be  obtained  an  attempt 
should  be  made  to  carry  off  the  occupants  of  the  village. 
During  the  night  a  boat  with  twelve  fugitives  came  off  from 
the  shore  and  as  the  Miscricordia  sailed  slowly  along  the  coast 
on  the  following  day  several  parties  of  from  three  to  ten  peo- 
ple came  out  from  the  trees  and  waved  white  handkerchiefs 
and  scarfs.  All  these  were  brought  off,  and  four  or  five  boats 
full  of  people  were  picked  up  during  the  day.  Their  occu- 
pants had  seen  the  schooner  passing  on  the  previous  day,  and 
had  at  night,  when  the  Mussulmans  in  the  village  were  asleep, 
stolen  down  to  the  beach,  launched  boats,  and  put  out  to  sea 
in  the  hope  that  the  schooner  would  return  next  day.  All 
were  overwhelmed  with  joy  at  finding  themselves  under  the 
Greek  flag,  although  the  greater  portion  of  them  had  lost 
everything  they  possessed.  The  women  and  children  were, 
like  the  first  batch,  provided  for  below,  while  the  men  and 
boys  were  told  they  must  sleep  on  deck,  which  was  no  hard- 
ship in  that  balmy  climate. 

Among  those  in  the  last  boat  picked  up  near  the  west  point 
of  the  bay  was  a  young  man  who  was  a  native  of  a  village  lying 


A    BESIEGED    VILLAGE  151 

a  short  distance  from  the  one  that  was  besieged.  He  happened 
to  be  down  in  the  coast  village  when  the  Turks  commenced 
hostilities  there,  and  hearing  that  the  village  to  which  he  be- 
longed had  been  destroyed,  he  had  remained  in  hiding  near 
the  coast.  Marco  and  his  brother,  who  mingled  with  the 
fugitives,  had  learned  this,  and  at  once  took  the  news  to  the 
cabin.  "  He  says  he  has  been  a  goat-herd,  and  knows  all 
the  paths  among  the  mountains." 

"Then  he  is  the  very  fellow  we  want  to  get  hold  of,"  Will 
Martyn  said.  "  We  had  better  have  him  in  here  and  question 
him." 

The  young  Greek  was  brought  in.  He  knew  of  several  paths 
from  the  village  down  to  the  western  shore. 

"Now  what  sort  of  place  is  this  village?"  Captain  Martyn 
asked. 

"  It  stands  at  the  top  of  rocky  ground  that  slopes  away  all 
round  it.  There  are  vineyards  and  gardens  among  the  rocks. 
Since  the  trouble  in  Greece  began,  the  people  have  been 
frightened,  and  have  built  a  wall  five  or  six  feet  high  round 
the  village,  and  the  Christians  in  all  the  villages  round  de- 
cided that  if  there  was  trouble  from  the  Mussulmans  they 
would  go  there  to  help  defend  it." 

"  Is  there  high  ground  round  the  village?  " 

"Yes,  the  hills  rise  very  high  on  three  sides,  but  they  are 
too  far  away  for  guns  to  do  much  harm ;  besides,  the  houses 
stand  thickly  together.  My  people  will  fight  till  the  last,  but 
I  don't  know  how  long  the  provisions  will  last.  I  know  they 
all  made  up  their  minds  that  if  they  were  besieged  and  saw  no 
hope  of  succour,  they  would  at  last  kill  all  the  women  and 
children  to  prevent  their  being  made  slaves  by  the  Turks,  and 
then  they  would  march  out  to  fight  until  the  last  man  was 
slain." 

"  How  long  would  it  take  us  to  get  up  from  the  shore  to  the 
village?  " 

"One  can  come  down  in  an  hour,  but  it  takes  three  hours' 
hard  work  to  get  up.*' 


152  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

"Could  you  after  dark  take  us  close  to  the  point  where  one 
of  these  paths  comes  down  to  the  shore?  " 

"Oh,  yes,  I  could  do  that  easily." 

"Very  well,  that  will  do  for  the  present.  Now,  Mr.  Bever- 
idge,  it  is  for  you  to  decide,"  Martyn  said.  "Of  course  the 
affair  is  a  risky  one;  but  it  seems  to  me  that  forty  well-armed 
English  sailors  ought  to  be  able  to  make  their  way  into  the 
village  without  very  much  difficulty,  for  of  course  the  Turks 
will  be  scattered  about  all  round  it.  The  difficulty  is  not  in 
getting  in,  but  in  getting  out.  We  should  have  to  bring  per- 
haps two  or  three  hundred  women  and  children,  and  cover 
their  retreat  down  to  the  water.  Of  course  the  men  would 
help  us,  but  still  it  would  be  a  stiff  job  in  the  face  of  four  or 
five  hundred  of  the  enemy.  These  Turks  may  know  nothing 
of  soldiering,  but  they  are  mountaineers  and  are  used  to  arms, 
and  for  irregular  fighting  like  this,  would  be  quite  as  formida- 
ble as  the  best  troops.  If  we  knew  anything  about  the  ground 
we  should  be  able  to  give  a  more  decided  opinion.  What  of 
course  we  should  want,  if  possible,  would  be  some  post,  either 
a  defile  or  a  steep  eminence  that  we  could  hold  for  half  an 
hour  and  keep  the  Turks  back  until  the  women  and  children 
are  well  on  their  way  down  the  mountain.  After  that  we 
could  make  a  bolt  for  it,  and  might  get  down  without  much 
loss;  but  if  there  is  no  place  where  we  could  make  a  stand 
anywhere  along  the  road,  we  should  be  in  an  awkward  fix, 
especially  if  the  path  is  a  bad  one,  as  I  expect  it  is.  You  see 
the  whole  party  would  have  to  go  in  single  file,  and  if  there 
are  four  or  five  hundred  of  them,  it  would  be  next  to  impos- 
sible to  guard  the  flanks  and  keep  the  Turks  off  if  they  made 
a  rush,  while  every  shot  they  fired  would  tell  on  such  a  long 
line.  You  understand,  Mr.  Beveridge,  I  am  putting  the  matter 
to  you  in  the  worst  light  so  that  we  should  all  understand  the 
sort  of  business  it  is  likely  to  be." 

"I  see  that  it  is  a  very  serious  affair,  Martyn;  but  at  the 
same  time,  when  we  know  that  there  are  so  many  lives  at 
stake,  I  think  that  we  must  run  the  risk,  however  great." 


A    BESIEGED    VILLAGE  153 

"Very  well,  then,  that  is  settled,  Mr.  Beveridge,  and  I  am 
sure  we  are  all  glad  that  you  have  decided  so.  The  next  ques- 
tion is,  who  shall  go,  and  who  shall  remain  behind." 

"I  shall  certainly  go,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said.  "I  am  not 
going  to  allow  others  to  take  risks  that  I  do  not  share  myself." 

"We  ought  to  be  as  strong  a  party  as  possible,"  Martyn 
said.  "At  the  same  time  we  must  leave  enough  to  sail  the 
schooner,  if  not  to  fight  her,  It  is  probable  that  yesterday 
morning,  as  soon  as  our  flag  was  seen,  messengers  were  sent 
off  at  once  to  Limasol  and  Larnaca  to  tell  them  that  a  Greek 
vessel  was  in  the  bay;  and  if  there  are  any  Turkish  vessels  of 
war  in  either  of  these  harbours,  we  shall  be  having  them  com- 
ing round." 

"That  is  likely  enough,"  Miller  said.  "We  must  certainly 
be  ready  to  get  up  our  anchor  and  be  off  at  a  minute's  notice." 

"Well,  Miller,  then  you  must  remain  on  board  with  ten 
men.  We  will  load  all  the  guns  before  we  go.  Ten  men  are 
enough  to  get  up  sail  and  to  fight  the  pivot-gun.  You  had 
better  not  waste  any  time  in  getting  up  the  anchor,  but  buoy 
and  then  slip  the  cable.  We  can  recover  it,  if  we  like,  after- 
wards. If  you  should  be  driven  off  the  coast  while  we  are 
away,  lower  a  sail  under  her  fore-foot  so  as  to  deaden  her  way 
and  encourage  the  Turks  with  the  hope  that  they  are  going  to 
catch  you.  Lead  them  a  dance  for  seven  or  eight  hours,  then 
cut  the  drag  adrift,  set  every  stitch  of  sail,  and  run  back  again. 
You  will  be  here  in  plenty  of  time  to  get  us  all  on  board 
before  they  can  come  up  again.  Of  course  if  we  see  that  you 
are  gone  we  shall  choose  some  position  where  we  can  make  a 
stout  defence,  and  shall  hold  it  until  you  come  back  to  the 
anchorage." 

"All  right,  sir.  I  will  obey  orders.  Of  course  I  would 
rather  have  gone  with  the  expedition  ashore;  but  someone 
must  stay  on  board,  and  if  you  are  going  J  must  take  the 
command  in  your  absence.  Ten  men  will  be  quite  enough 
for  me.  We  can  leave  the  main  and  foresail  standing  when 
we  anchor,  so  that  will  be  plenty  of  strength." 


154  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

"Well,  as  that  is  all  settled,  we  will  bout  ship  and  cruise 
east  again.  It  will  be  dark  in  an  hour,  and  it  is  well  they 
should  think  on  shore  that  we  are  off  again  to  the  east.  I  dare- 
say they  can  make  us  out  from  points  on  the  mountains  not 
far  from  the  village.  If  they  see  us  sailing  away,  it  will  never 
enter  their  heads  that  we  have  any  intention  of  interfering  in 
their  little  game  up  there." 

Accordingly  the  schooner  was  again  put  about,  and  retraced 
her  course  along  the  shore  until  it  became  quite  dark;  then 
she  stood  out  to  sea  until  well  out  of  sight  of  land,  when  she 
was  headed  west  again.  The  news  had  already  got  about 
through  the  ship  that  there  was  to  be  a  landing  party  to  rescue 
a  number  of  Christians  besieged  by  the  Turks  among  the 
mountains,  and  the  sailors  were  in  the  highest  spirits,  cut- 
lasses were  ground,  pistols  and  muskets  served  out  to  those 
who  were  to  land,  and  the  disappointment  of  those  who  were 
to  remain  behind  was  mitigated  by  Horace  mentioning  to 
them  that  not  improbably  they  might  have  a  brush  with  the 
Turks  on  their  own  account. 

Cartridges,  muskets,  and  pistols  were  served  out,  and  the 
arms  carefully  examined.  Each  man  was  ordered  to  take  with 
him  a  water-bottle  filled  with  weak  grog,  and  two  "pounds  of 
bread  in  his  haversack,  and  a  hearty  supper  was  served  out. 
Once  round  the  point  of  the  bay  the  schooner  was  kept  close 
in  shore.  The  Greek  kept  a  sharp  look-out  on  the  hills  loom- 
ing high  above  them,  and  about  nine  o'clock  announced  that 
they  were  now  near  the  place  where  a  track  from  the  mountain 
came  down  to  the  shore.  The  anchor  was  at  once  dropped 
and  the  headsails  lowered.  Then  the  sailors  took  their  places 
in  three  boats,  two  of  the  men  who  were  to  stop  behind  going 
in  each  to  bring  them  back  to  the  schooner  when  the  landing 
had  been  effected.  Zaimes  was  to  accompany  the  party,  while 
Marco  remained  with  Mr.  Miller  on  board. 

Ten  of  the  fugitives,  active  young  men,  had  begged  to  be 
allowed  to  accompany  the  expedition,  but  the  offer  had  been 
declined,  and  they  were  told  that  they  might  be  more  useful 


A    BESIEGED    VILLAGE  155 

helping  to  work  the  guns  of  the  schooner  should  a  Turkish 
ship-of-war  come  round.  When  the  arms  had  been  purchased 
a  dozen  good  rifles  had  been  among  them,  and  after  Mr. 
Beveridge,  Zaimes,  and  the  three  officers  had  each  armed 
themselves  with  one  of  these,  the  rest  were  divided  among  the 
best  shots  of  the  party.  Tom  Burdett,  much  to  his  disap- 
pointment, was  left  on  board  to  assist  the  first  lieutenant. 

As  soon  as  the  boats  reached  the  shore  the  men  were  formed 
up.  Tarleton  was  to  lead  the  advance  party  of  ten  men,  hav- 
ing with  him  the  guide.  Close  behind  these  were  the  main 
body,  twenty  strong,  led  by  Martyn;  behind  them  Mr.  Bever- 
idge, with  Zaimes  and  the  surgeon,  who  was  also  accompany- 
ing the  party,  had  their  place.  Horace  commanded  the 
rear-guard  of  ten  men.  Although  this  nominal  division  was 
made,  the  whole  party  kept  closely  together,  as  the  night  was 
so  dark  that  they  might  otherwise  have  missed  each  other. 
None  of  the  fire-arms  were  loaded,  lest  an  accident  should 
occur  by  a  gun  being  discharged  by  a  fall,  by  striking  against 
a  rock,  or  by  the  trigger  catching  in  a  bush. 

After  a  few  hundred  yards'  walk  along  the  shore  the  Greek 
struck  upon  the  track  and  led  the  way  up,  the  rest  following  in 
single  file.  The  climb  seemed  interminable  to  Horace.  At 
times  it  was  so  steep  it  was  difficult  to  scramble  up,  and  in 
the  darkness  there  were  many  falls.  There  were  frequent 
stops,  to  enable  the  men  to  get  their  breath;  but  after  three 
hours'  climbing  they  at  last  reached  comparatively  level 
ground,  and  the  guide  told  them  they  were  within  half  a  mile 
of  the  ridge  from  which  they  could  look  down  upon  the  vil- 
lage. 

"Well,  we  will  move  slowly  forward  until  we  come  either 
to  some  bushes  or  a  bit  of  a  hollow  where  we  can  get  some 
shelter,  for  it  is  quite  sharp  up  here,  and  as  soon  as  the  men 
begin  to  cool  down  a  bit  they  will  feel  it.  I  wish  we  had 
brought  blankets  now,  but  it  never  struck  me  that  it  would  be 
cold.  Mr.  Tarleton,  let  your  ten  men  scatter.  Don't  let 
them  wander  too  far,  but  let  them  search  about  for  some  place 


15G  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

where  we  can  get  shelter.  We  will  remain  here;  and  if  any 
of  the  men  find  a  place,  send  one  back  to  bring  us  up.  We 
have  got  another  four  hours  to  wait  before  daylight." 

In  ten  minutes  one  of  the  men  came  back  with  news  that 
they  had  found  a  patch  of  bush  large  enough  for  them  to  take 
shelter  in.  In  a  short  time  they  all  arrived  at  the  spot.  The 
bushes  were  sweet  smelling  and  free  from  thorns,  and  the  men 
soon  crushed  their  way  into  them  and  lay  down. 

"You  will  remain  in  charge,  Mr.  Tarleton.  I  shall  go  on 
and  take  a  look  down  at  the  village.  I  don't  suppose  we  shall 
see  much,  but  we  may  be  able  to  make  out  whether  they  are 
still  holding  out.  Will  you  go  on  with  me,  Mr.  Beveridge,  or 
stay  here?  " 

"  I  will  go  on  with  you.  I  find  it  bitterly  cold  here;  for 
not  being  accustomed  to  hard  work,  as  your  men  are,  I  found 
that  climb  almost  too  much  for  me;  and  hot  as  I  have  been,  I 
should  not  like  to  stop  still  in  this  keen  air,  even  with  the 
shelter  of  the  bushes." 

"Well,  we  will  take  it  easy  this  last  bit,  Mr.  Beveridge. 
Come  along,  Horace." 

Again  preceded  by  the  guide,  and  followed  by  Zaimes,  they 
ascended  the  shoulder  of  the  hill.  It  was  a  steep  pull,  but 
in  a  quarter  of  an  hour  they  reached  the  crest.  Just  as  they 
did  so  they  heard  the  report  of  a  gun,  followed  at  once  by 
several  others.  An  exclamation  of  satisfaction  broke  from 
them.  Their  climb  had  not  been  in  vain;  the  village  was 
still  holding  out.  Fifty  yards  farther  the  ground  fell  away 
suddenly  in  front  of  them,  and  they  stood  at  the  edge  of  a 
deep  descent.  Extending  round  the  foot  of  the  hills  that 
formed  the  amphitheatre  in  the  centre  of  which  the  village 
lay,  was  a  line  of  fires;  some  blazing  brightly,  others  dim  red 
spots.  Another  chain  of  fires,  much  closer  together,  extended 
across  the  mouth  of  the  valley.  The  village,  lying  in  the  black 
shadow  of  the  hills,  was  invisible  to  them,  and  not  even  a 
single  light  indicated  its  position. 

"That  is  where  it  is,"  the  guide  said,  pointing  down  to  the 
centre  of  the  hollow. 


A    EESIEGED    VILLAGE  151 

As  he  spoke  a  flash  of  flame,  followed  a  second  or  so  later 
by  a  report,  shot  out  from  the  spot  towards  which  he  was 
pointing. 

"They  are  keeping  a  sharp  look-out,"  Martyn  said;  "they 
are  not  to  be  caught  napping.  Now  the  point  is,  which  is 
our  best  side  for  going  down  on  the  village  without  being 
seen?  " 

"The  best  point,"  the  guide  said,  "would  be  from  the  head 
of  the  valley.  Orchards  extend  from  the  village  to  the  foot 
of  the  hill,  and  a  ravine  runs  some  distance  up  there.  If  we 
could  get  into  that,  we  might  get  some  distance  through  the 
orchards  before  we  are  noticed." 

"  Could  you  lead  us  along  the  side  of  the  hill  to  this  ravine 
in  the  dark?  " 

"I  think  so.  I  am  sure  I  could  lead  you.  The  danger 
would  be  from  setting  stones  in  motion  and  so  calling  the 
attention  of  the  enemy.  The  hillside  is  very  steep,  and  a 
stone  set  rolling  would  go  right  down  to  their  fires." 

"We  must  risk  that,"  Martyn  said.  "It  would  be  a  great 
thing  to  be  able  to  take  them  by  surprise.  Don't  you  think 
so,  Mr.  Beveridge?  " 

"  I  should  say  it  was  well  worth  trying.  But  it  is  the  getting 
out,  not  the  getting  in,  that  seems  to  me  the  difficult  part  of 
the  business." 

"There  is  no  doubt  about  that,"  Martyn  agreed.  "Will  you 
ask  him  if  this  part  we  are  standing  on  goes  straight  down  to 
the  village?     The  slope  looks  to  me  almost  too  steep." 

Mr.  Beveridge  put  the  question  to  the  guide. 

"He  says  the  road  zigzags.  Olive-trees  grow  up  for  some 
distance — about  a  third  of  the  distance,  he  says." 

"That  is  good,"  Martyn  said,  "because  if  we  get  the  peo- 
ple with  a  sudden  rush  across  the  open  we  can  defend  the 
lower  edge  of  these  trees,  and  the  women  and  children  will 
be  hidden  from  below  till  they  get  up  above  the  trees,  where 
they  would  be  pretty  well  out  of  danger  except  from  a  chance 
shot.      I   think,  Mr.  Beveridge,  it  would  be  a  good  thing  to 


158  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

leave  Tarleton  with  fifteen  men  here.  If  we  can  take  them 
by  surprise  five-and-twenty  of  us  ought  to  be  quite  enough  to 
make  our  way  in.  Even  if  there  are  six  hundred  of  them  they 
must  be  scattered  pretty  thinly  round  this  circle,  and  are 
probably  thickest  down  at  the  mouth  of  the  valley.  The 
rear-guard  here  will  of  course  be  concealed  until  we  sally  out. 
Then  if  the  Turks  from  the  other  side  and  the  end  of  the  val- 
ley try  to  climb  the  hill  on  either  side  of  the  path  so  as  to  cut 
us  off,  our  fellows  here  could  open  fire  and  prevent  them  doing 
so,  and  as  the  enemy  would  not  be  able  to  see  how  many  men 
there  are,  it  would  stop  them  a  bit." 

"I  think  that  would  be  a  very  good  plan,  Captain  Martyn." 

"Very  well,  then.  Horace,  do  you  go  back  to  the  bushes, 
bring  Mr.  Tarleton  and  the  men  up.  Tell  them  to  move  as 
quietly  as  they  can  when  they  get  near  this  point." 

The  men  got  up  willingly  when  Tarleton  gave  the  word,  for 
although  the  bushes  afforded  some  shelter,  they  were  already 
feeling  very  chilled,  and  were  pleased  to  be  in  motion  again. 
They  met  Martyn  a  short  distance  from  the  spot  where  Horace 
had  left  him.     The  men  were  halted. 

"  Now,  Mr.  Tarleton,  you  are  to  take  the  fourteen  men  who 
came  ashore  with  you  in  the  gig.  For  the  present  you  had 
best  return  with  them  to  the  bushes  and  wait  there  till  daylight. 
Then  you  will  come  back  to  this  point.  Post  the  men  where 
they  cannot  be  seen  from  below.  Be  sure  that  not  a  head  is 
shown.  Take  your  own  post  at  a  point  whence  you  can  see 
down  into  the  valley  without  being  seen  yourself.  You  will 
remain  in  hiding  while  we  fight  our  way  into  the  village.  As 
soon  as  you  see  the  sortie  begun  get  your  men  ready  for  action, 
and  let  them  lie  down  without  showing  themselves  more  than 
they  can  help  at  the  edge  of  the  brow  from  which  they  can 
fire  down  into  the  valley.  Your  duty  is  to  prevent  any  par- 
ties of  the  enemy  working  along  the  side  of  the  hill  to  take 
the  fugitives  and  us  in  flank  as  we  come  up  the  path.  As  the 
women  and  children  arrive  tell  them  to  push  on  along  the 
path  as  fast  as  they  can,  without  stopping  or  paying  attention 


A    BESIEGED   VILLAGE  159 

to  any  fire  that  may  be  opened  upon  them.  They  will  be  told 
before  they  start  that  the  schooner  is  in  readiness  to  take  them 
off.  Still,  you  may  as  well  hurry  them  along.  You  will  remain 
here  until  the  last  and  form  the  rear-guard.  But  we  shall  all 
make  a  stand  here  as  long  as  we  can  so  as  to  give  the  women 
and  children  plenty  of  a  start.     Do  you  quite  understand?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Shall  I  go  with  you  or  wait  here?"  Macfarlane  asked. 

"I  think  you  might  as  well  stay  here,  doctor.  There  won't 
be  any  time  for  you  to  be  dressing  wounds  till  we  are  back 
here  again." 

Tarleton  called  out  the  men  who  had  landed  with  him,  and 
marched  off  with  them. 

"Now,  my  lads,"  Martyn  said  to  the  others,  "we  are  going 
to  work  along  the  side  of  the  hill  so  as  to  come  down  behind 
them.  But  I  fancy  it  will  be  very  steep  in  places.  Sling  your 
muskets  behind  you  so  as  to  have  both  hands  to  hold  on  by. 
If  you  once  begin  to  roll  you  go  right  down  to  the  bottom, 
and  then  there  is  an  end  to  our  chance  of  surprising  them. 
Be  careful,  above  all  things,  how  you  walk,  for  if  you  set 
a  stone  rolling  it  will  put  them  on  their  guard.  We  have 
to  go  as  quietly  as  mice.  Now  follow  me  in  single  file,  and 
keep  as  close  as  you  can  to  each  other,  yet  so  far  off  that  if 
you  stumble  you  won't  touch  the  man  in  front  of  you." 

The  men  fell  in,  and  Horace  took  his  place  at  the  rear.  A 
few  steps  and  they  halted.  The  guide  then  went  on  in  front 
of  Martyn,  and  Mr.  Beveridge  and  Zaimes  fell  in  behind  him. 
The  hill  rose  so  abruptly  on  the  right  that  it  was  necessary  to 
keep  along  on  its  slope,  and  very  cautiously  the  men  made 
their  way  along  the  hillside.  Each  step  had  to  be  felt  before 
they  put  their  weight  down.  Sometimes  it  was  slippery  grass, 
and  so  steep  that  they  were  obliged  to  crawl  on  all-fours  to 
make  their  way  along  it.  Sometimes  they  passed  patches  of 
bare  rock  and  sometimes  slides  of  loose  stones.  They  had 
gone  but  a  short  distance  when  Martyn  passed  the  word  along 
in  a  whisper  for  them  to  sit  down,  pull  off  their  shoes,  and 


160  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

fasten  them  round  their  necks.  Indeed,  had  it  not  been  for 
this  precaution,  there  were  places  across  which  it  would  have 
been  impossible  to  pass.  As  it  was,  it  took  them  a  full  hour 
to  traverse  the  half-mile  between  the  point  from  which  they 
had  started  and  the  head  of  the  valley.  At  last  a  sharp  fall 
told  them  that  they  were  at  the  edge  of  the  ravine.  As  soon 
as  they  descended  into  it  there  was  a  short  halt  to  allow  Mr. 
Beveridge  to  rest. 

"I  am  sorry  I  came,"  he  said  as  he  sat  down  faint  and 
exhausted.  "  I  did  not  reckon  on  this  sort  of  thing,  Captain 
Martyn.  If  I  had  done  so  I  would  have  remained  with  Tarle- 
ton." 

"  It  is  all  right  now,  Mr.  Beveridge.  We  have  done  our 
climbing,  and  it  is  a  marvel  that  we  have  done  it  without 
alarming  those  fellows  below,  for  some  small  stones  rolled  down 
once  or  twice.  But  if  they  noticed  them,  no  doubt  they 
thought  that  it  was  some  sheep  or  goats  on  the  hillside.  Now, 
my  lads,  before  you  go  any  further,  you  had  better  take  a  drink 
from  your  bottles.  You  will  have  to  be  careful  in  going  down 
the  ravine,  for  there  are  sure  to  be  loose  stones  lying  about." 

After  a  halt  of  five  minutes  they  proceeded  cautiously  down, 
and  at  last,  to  their  great  satisfaction,  stood  on  level  ground, 
and  soon  entered  a  grove  of  fruit-trees,  where  they  halted  and 
lay  down.  There  was  a  short  consultation  whether  their  guide 
should  try  and  make  his  way  into  the  village  to  inform  the  be- 
sieged of  the  help  that  was  near  in  order  that  they  might  assist 
by  opening  a  fire  upon  the  besiegers  as  soon  as  the  sailors  made 
their  attack.  The  idea  was,  however,  abandoned,  because, 
were  he  seen  by  the  Turks,  it  would  put  them  on  the  alert; 
and  because,  in  the  second  place,  he  might  be  shot  by  the 
besieged  as  he  approached  the  village.  It  did  not  seem  to 
Martyn  that  there  could  be  any  difficulty  in  their  getting  in. 
It  was  not  likely  that  more  than  fifty  of  the  enemy  at  the  out- 
side could  interpose  between  them  and  the  village,  and  these, 
taken  by  surprise,  and  ignorant  of  the  number  of  their  assail- 
ants, could  offer  no  effectual  resistance,  and  they  would  be  up 


A    BESIEGED   VILLAGE  161 

under  shelter  of  the  guns  of  the  defenders  of  the  village  before 
the  Turks  could  rally  from  their  first  surprise. 

Another  two  hours  and  daylight  began  to  appear.  Martyn 
waited  until  it  was  light  enough  to  make  their  way  through 
the  trees  without  difficulty.  Then  the  men,  most  of  whom 
had  fallen  asleep  as  soon  as  they  lay  down,  were  roused. 

'•'Now,  my  lads,  you  are  to  keep  together.  Keep  your 
muskets  slung,  and  use  cutlass  and  pistol.  I  don't  expect 
there  will  be  any  serious  resistance,  but,  at  any  rate,  don't 
straggle.  Of  course  we  don't  want  any  prisoners.  Shoot  or 
cut  down  any  one  who  opposes  you,  and  follow  me  straight 
on.     Now,  load  your  pistols." 

As  soon  as  this  was  done  they  proceeded  through  the  wood. 
The  guide,  as  before,  led  the  way.  His  instructions  were 
that  directly  they  were  through  the  Turks  he  was  to  run  on 
at  the  top  of  his  speed,  shouting  to  the  villagers  not  to  fire, 
as  those  approaching  were  friends.  Martyn,  Mr.  Beveridge, 
Horace,  and  Zaimes,  followed  close  behind  the  guide,  the  line 
of  seamen  extending  behind  them.  They  were  nearly  through 
the  orchard  when  a  shout  was  given  and  they  saw  a  dozen  fig- 
ures leap  up  from  the  ground. 

"Come  along,  lads!"  Martyn  shouted. 

The  sailors  gave  a  cheer,  and  at  a  run  the  party  rushed  for- 
ward. The  Turks,  astounded  at  the  appearance  of  this  body 
c  f  sailors,  snatched  up  their  muskets,  one  or  two  fired  at  ran- 
dom, and  then  the  whole  fled  when  their  assailants  were  still 
thirty  yards  away.  A  few  pistols  were  emptied  at  the  fugi- 
tives, and  then,  paying  no  further  attention  to  them,  the  party 
kept  straight  on.  When  they  emerged  from  the  trees  the 
\  illage  was  but  some  three  hundred  yards  away.  The  Greek, 
waving  his  red  sash  and  shouting  "  Friends,  friends,  do  not 
fire!"  dashed  forward  at  full  speed  across  the  gardens  that 
intervened  between  the  orchard  and  the  rocky  knoll  upon 
which  the  village  stood.  A  row  of  heads  appeared  above  the 
wall  and  a  line  of  musket-barrels  pointed  outward.  As  the 
Greek  approached  shouts  of  welcome  and  triumph  broke  from 


162  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

the  besieged,  which  swelled  more  and  more  loudly  as  the  partv 
of  sailors  were  seen  running  in  a  compact  body  towards  the 
wall. 

A  few  straggling  shots  were  fired  by  the  Turks,  but  these 
passed  harmlessly  overhead,  and  the  party  reached  the  wall 
without  a  single  casualty,  and  were  soon  helped  over.  The 
delight  of  the  Greeks  was  only  equalled  by  their  astonishment 
at  the  approach  of  this  body  of  foreign  sailors.  All  hope  of 
either  escape  or  rescue  had  left  them,  and  they  had  thought 
only  of  fighting  to  the  last.  As  soon  as  they  understood  from 
the  guide,  Zaimes,  Horace,  and  Mr.  Beveridge  that  there  was 
a  ship  in  readiness  to  take  them  off,  and  that  there  was  a 
chance  of  fighting  their  way  through  the  besiegers,  the  village 
was  the  scene  of  the  wildest  delight.  The  men  shouted, 
screamed,  danced,  laughed,  and  wept  by  turns.  The  women 
seized  the  sailors'  hands  and  kissed  them,  to  the  confusion 
of  the  tars,  threw  themselves  on  their  knees,  and  poured  out 
passionate  ejaculations  of  thanksgiving  that  a  hope  of  rescue 
should  be  afforded  them,  and  it  was  some  time  before  anything 
like  order  was  restored.  By  this  time  the  alarm  had  spread 
round  the  circle  of  the  besiegers,  and  their  anger  was  exhib- 
ited by  shots  being  fired  into  the  place,  many  of  them  press- 
ing forward  so  threateningly  that  the  defenders  manned  the 
walls,  and  opening  fire  upon  the  Turks  drove  them  back  out 
of  range  of  their  guns. 


CHAPTER   IX 


RESCUED 


AS  soon  as  the  excitement  subsided  a  little,  Mr.  Beveridge 
assembled  the  heads  of  the  families  in  the  village  church. 
"You  must  prepare  to  leave  at  once,"  he  said.  "Our  landing 
will  be  shortly  known,  and  it  will  be  guessed  that  we  intend 


RESCUED  163 

to  take  you  off  in  our  ship.  The  consequence  is,  in  addition 
to  the  enemies  now  round  you  others  will  gather,  and  it  will 
be  no  longer  possible  to  cut  our  way  through.  What  we  pro- 
pose to  do  is  to  make  a  rush  out,  the  women  and  children 
following  us.  As  soon  as  we  have  gained  that  wood  and  driven 
the  Mussulmans  out  the  women  and  children  will  hurry  up  the 
path,  while  all  the  fighting  men  will  hold  the  wood  and  keep 
the  Turks  at  a  distance.  There  are  some  more  of  my  men  at 
the  top  of  the  hill  there;  these  will  keep  off  any  parties  of  the 
enemy  who  try  to  scale  the  hillside  at  other  points.  As  soon 
as  the  women  are  fairly  at  the  top  the  men  will  fall  back  gradu- 
ally. The  sailors  will  cover  the  retreat.  We  shall  hold  the 
top  of  the  hill  till  we  know  that  the  women  have  got  nearly 
down  to  the  sea-shore,  and  then  fall  back.  We  are  risking 
our  lives  here  to  save  you,  and  we  shall  expect  all  the  men  to 
fight  valiantly  and  to  obey  our  orders.  It  is  only  by  working 
well  together  that  we  can  hope  to  beat  off  the  Turks  as  we 
retreat,  and  to  get  safely  on  board  ship.  You  must  not  load 
yourselves  with  baggage;  of  course  each  man  can  take  any- 
thing he  can  carry  wrapped  in  his  sash,  and  the  women  can 
take  bundles  such  as  they  can  carry  on  their  heads,  but  they 
must  beware  not  to  take  too  great  weights.  Anyone  who 
lags  behind  will  have  her  bundle  taken  off  and  thrown  away." 

"Would  it  not  be  better  to  wait  till  night?  "  one  of  the 
elders  of  the  village  asked. 

"  No.  The  captain  of  the  ship  says  that  in  the  dark  we 
should  not  be  able  to  keep  off  the  enemy  nor  to  travel  fast. 
We  may  lose  rather  more  in  the  first  rush  in  daylight,  but  after 
that  the  light  will  be  all  in  our  favour.  How  many  men  have 
you  armed  with  muskets?" 

"There  are  a  hundred  and  forty-six  men,  and  all  have 
guns." 

"  How  many  women  ?  " 

"There  are  about  two  hundred  women  and  girls,  and  a  hun- 
dred and  eighty  children  of  all  ages." 

"Very  well,  I  leave  it  to  you  to  make  preparations.     You 


104  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

must  tell  the  women  that  they  are  to  keep  together,  and  to 
follow  about  a  hundred  yards  behind  the  men  as  they  advance. 
As  soon  as  the  wood  is  taken  they  are  to  hurry  through  it, 
mount  the  hill  by  the  path,  and  then  without  stopping  a  min- 
ute go  on  at  the  top  of  their  speed  to  the  sea-shore.  It  is  just 
possible  that  some  Turkish  ships-of-war  may  have  driven  our 
vessel  away,  but  if  that  is  so  she  will  be  back  again  this  even- 
ing. If  they  find  she  has  gone  they  must  sit  down  under 
shelter  of  the  rocks  near  the  shore,  and  we  will  keep  the 
Turks  at  bay  till  the  ship  arrives.  Make  your  preparations 
and  get  your  valuables  together,  for  in  an  hour  from  the 
present  time  we  shall  sally  out." 

While  this  was  going  on  Martyn  had  formed  up  the  villagers, 
for  the  firing  had  now  ceased.  The  besiegers  had  before 
shrunk  from  attacking  the  wall,  relying  upon  famine  to  com- 
pel the  defenders  to  surrender,  and  the  addition,  small  as  it 
was,  to  the  garrison  rendered  any  idea  of  assault  more  for- 
midable than  before.     Horace  acted  as  Martyn's  interpreter. 

"Now,"  he  said,  "I  expect  we  shall  have  no  difficulty  in 
carrying  the  wood,  for  the  enemy  can  have  no  idea  that  we 
intend  to  escape  in  that  direction,  or  that  we  mean  to  sally 
out  at  all;  therefore  it  is  not  likely  that  they  will  have  more 
than  fifty  or  sixty  men  at  that  point.  In  the  first  place  I  want 
forty  determined  men  who  can  be  trusted  to  obey  orders." 

One  of  the  leaders  of  the  defence  chose  out  that  number  of 
men.  Martyn  divided  them  into  two  parties  and  told  off  five 
sailors  to  each. 

"  Horace,  you  will  take  command  of  one  of  these  bands, 
and  you,  Jones,"  he  said  to  the  coxswain  of  his  gig,  "will  take 
command  of  the  other.  Your  bands  will  fall  in  behind  the 
main  body,  which  I  shall  lead.  We  shall  go  straight  at  the 
wood.  You  will  follow  us  till  you  are  half-way  across  the  open, 
and  will  then  take  post,  one  to  the  right  and  the  other  to  the 
left,  fifty  yards  from  the  line  we  take.  Your  work  will  be  to 
check  any  of  the  Turks  who  may  come  running  down  from 
the  ends  of  the  valley,  and  to  cover  the  passage  of  the  women. 


RESCUED  165 

As  soon  as  they  have  all  passed  along  you  will  both  run  in  and 
join  us  in  the  wood.  Now,  lads,  I  want  the  wall  undermined 
for  a  width  of  ten  yards  or  so,  so  that  when  we  push  it  it  will 
all  fall  together  and  leave  a  wide  front  for  us  to  pour  out.  It 
is  not  above  three  hundred  and  fifty  yards  or  so  to  the  wood, 
and  we  shall  be  half-way  across  before  the  Turks  can  pull  them- 
selves together,  and  they  won't  have  time  for  much  more  than 
a  shot  each  before  we  are  upon  them." 

In  an  hour  the  whole  of  the  villagers  were  gathered.  There 
were  five  or  six  wounded  men  unable  to  walk.  These  were 
laid  on  doors,  and  four  Greeks  were  told  off  to  each.  The 
children  Avere  told  off,  "one  to  each  woman.  Twenty  of  the 
Greeks  were  to  form  a  special  escort  for  the  women,  and 
Martyn's  order  to  their  leader  was,  "See  that  each  woman 
takes  along  the  child  told  off  to  her.  If  she  doesn't  help  it 
along,  take  off  her  bundle  and  throw  it  away;  force  her  to 
look  after  the  child.  Not  a  single  child  shall  be  lost  if  we 
can  help  it.     Life  first,  property  next." 

Martyn  was  well  pleased  with  the  bearing  of  the  Greeks. 
The  men  looked  ready  and  eager  for  the  fight;  the  women, 
stern  and  determined.  All  of  them  had  knives  or  daggers 
in  their  sashes.  Some,  in  addition,  had  their  husbands'  or 
fathers'  pistols.  Their  bundles  were  poised  on  their  heads, 
and  each,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  of  the  old  women,  had 
an  infant  in  her  arms  or  held  a  child  by  the  hand.  The 
twenty  English  sailors  formed  the  first  line;  behind  these  came 
the  main  body  of  the  Greeks.  Horace's  and  Jones'. parties 
were  drawn  up  three  or  four  paces  in  their  rear,  and  behind 
these  were  gathered  the  women. 

"Now,"  Martyn  said  to  the  Greek  fighting  men,  "on  one 
point  my  orders  are  distinct.  Not  a  shot  is  to  be  fired  until 
we  reach  the  trees.  Firing  would  be  no  good  whatever;  it 
would  be  a  loss  of  time,  and  your  guns  would  be  empty  just 
when  you  want  them;  besides,  you  would  be  as  likely  to  shoot 
those  in  front  of  you  as  the  enemy.  All  you  have  got  to  do 
is  to  follow  me  closely  until  you  get  into  the  olive  grove,  then 


1G6  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

scatter  and  clear  it  of  the  Turks;  but  don't  go  a  foot  beyond 
them  in  pursuit.  Directly  it  is  clear  let  each  man  take  up 
his  station  behind  a  tree  at  its  edge,  and  defend  himself  there 
until  the  order  is  given  to  fall  back." 

Zaimes  translated  the  order,  then  the  sailors  advanced  to 
the  wall,  from  which  the  lower  stones  had  been  removed  as 
far  as  was  safe.  "Now  put  your  shoulders  to  it,  my  hearties, 
and  heave  all  together.     One,  two,  three;  now!" 

The  walls  shook  as  the  sailors  flung  themselves  against  it. 
"It  is  going.  Now  another  try."  There  was  a  shout  as  the 
wall  toppled  over.  Then  with  a  cheer  the  sailors  sprang  for- 
ward, led  by  Martyn,  dashed  over  the 'fragments  of  the  wall 
and  down  the  steep  rock,  the  Greeks  pouring  after  them  in  a 
confused  mass,  and  then  the  whole  dashed  across  the  flat  cul- 
tivated ground  towards  the  olive  grove.  As  Martyn  had  fore- 
told, not  a  shot  was  fired  until  they  were  nearly  half-way  across, 
though  loud  shouts  of  alarm  were  heard,  then  a  straggling  fire 
was  opened;  but  the  enemy  were  evidently  too  flurried  and 
alarmed  to  take  aim.  Without  a  check  the  sailors  ran  on, 
cutlass  in  hand,  but  the  Turks  did  not  await  the  attack.  Out- 
numbered and  surprised  they  had  no  sooner  fired  than  they 
dashed  away  among  the  trees  to  join  their  companions  right 
and  left,  and  the  olive  grove  was  deserted  when  the  sailors 
entered. 

"  That  will  do,  lads !  "  Martyn  shouted.  "  Leave  the  Greeks 
to  hold  the  wood.  Sheath  your  cutlasses  and  unsling  your 
rifles.  Come  back  with  me  to  help  the  others:  keep  back  the 
enemy  in  the  open." 

There  was,  however,  no  occasion  for  assistance.  The 
women,  instead  of  waiting,  had  followed  close  behind  the 
flanking  parties,  and  were  already  coming  into  the  wood.  By 
the  time  Martyn  joined  the  flanking  parties  the  women  had  all 
passed,  while  Horace  and  Jones  were  just  beginning  to  fall 
back  with  their  commands.  By  this  time  the  valley  rang  with 
shouts  and  cries,  and  guns  were  being  aimlessly  discharged, 
but  the  sailors  were  back  in  the  olive  °;rove  before  the  Turks 


RESCUED  167 

li»J  mustered  strongly  enough  to  think  of  advancing.  The 
sailors  lay  down  in  the  intervals  between  the  trees,  and  as  soon 
as  the  enemy  began  to  advance  a  heavy  fire  was  opened  upon 
them,  the  twelve  rifles  telling  with  deadly  effect.  The  Turks 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  valley  instead  of  advancing  at  once 
to  the  assistance  of  their  comrades,  made  a  rush  at  the  village 
as  soon  as  they  perceived  that  it  was  no  longer  defended, 
thinking  for  the  moment  much  more  of  plunder  than  of  attack- 
ing the  retiring  Greeks,  while  the  parties  who  had  begun  to 
advance  towards  the  wood  rapidly  retired  again  before  the 
heavy  fire  opened  upon  them. 

"Go  round  and  stop  those  Greeks  firing,  Horace;  the  fools 
are  simply  wasting  their  ammunition,"  Martyn  said  savagely 
as  the  Greeks  continued  to  blaze  away  when  the  enemy  were 
already  out  of  range  of  their  guns.  Horace  hurried  off  one 
way  and  Zaimes  the  other,  and  in  a  minute  or  two  the  firing 
ceased.  As  it  did  so  the  report  of  guns  could  be  heard  on  the 
hill  above  them. 

"That  is  Tarleton's  party  at  work,"  Martyn  said  to  Mr. 
Beveridge.  "  Of  course  the  Turks  have  seen  the  women 
mounting  the  hill,  and  I  suppose  some  of  them  were  begin- 
ning to  climb  up  to  cut  them  off.  Tarleton's  fire  will  stagger 
them  a  bit."  From  the  shouts  in  the  valley  it  was  evident 
that  the  enemy  were  gathering  for  a  serious  attack.  Horace 
had  returned  to  Martyn's  side. 

"  Now,  Horace,  do  you  take  ten  of  the  men  and  ascend  the 
path  half-way  up  the  hill.  Post  five  of  them  on  each  side  of 
it  to  act  as  flanking  parties.  Zaimes,  do  you  tell  your  country- 
men it  is  time  for  us  to  be  off.  We  must  get  well  up  the  hill- 
side before  these  fellows  make  their  rush.  Mr.  Beveridge, 
will  you  make  your  way  up  the  path  at  once.  These  Greeks 
are  as  active  as  goats,  and  I  should  recommend  you  to  be  push- 
ing on  to  get  a  start  of  them." 

In  a  couple  of  minutes  the  entire  party  had  left  the  wood 
and  were  mounting  the  path,  Martyn  and  his  sailors  forming 
the  rear-guard.     The  Greeks  sprang  up  the  path  with  such 


168  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

speed  that  the  sailors,  active  as  they  were,  had  hard  work  to 
keep  near  them.     Mr.  Beveridge  was  speedily  overtaken. 

"Jones,  you  take  Mr.  Beveridge's  rifle;  and  do  you,  Haw- 
kins and  Baldock,  help  him  along.  Make  haste,  lads !  we  shall 
have  a  storm  of  bullets  coming  up  after  us  in  no  time;  "  for  as 
soon  as  the  fugitives  appeared  on  the  path  above  the  level  of 
the  tree-tops  a  loud  shout  had  broken  from  the  enemy,  and  it 
was  certain  they  would  soon  be  upon  them.  So  rapidly,  how- 
ever, was  the  ascent  made  that  Martyn  and  the  sailors  reached 
the  spot  where  Horace  with  his  party  had  taken  up  his  posi- 
tion before  a  shot  rang  out  from  below.  There  was  a  slight 
shoulder  on  the  hillside  at  this  point,  and  lying  down  here  the 
men  were  sheltered  from  the  fire  below. 

"Wait  here,  my  lads,  until  you  get  your  wind.  Their  guns 
will  hardly  carry  this  height,  and  there  is  no  fear  of  their 
showing  themselves  above  the  trees,  at  any  rate  for  the 
present." 

Mr.  Beveridge  threw  himself  down  on  the  grass,  and  even 
the  sailors  were  glad  of  a  pause,  for  in  the  five  minutes  that  had 
elapsed  since  they  left  the  wood  they  had  climbed  half-way 
up  the  hill  and  were  fully  three  hundred  feet  above  the  olive 
grove.  A  roar  of  musketry  broke  out  from  below,  and  some 
of  the  Mussulmans  dashed  out  from  the  trees,  waving  their 
guns  and  calling  upon  the  others  to  follow  them;  but  as  soon 
as  they  showed  themselves  the  sailors  under  Horace  opened 
fire.  Some  of  the  others  would  have  joined  them,  but  Martyn 
forbade  them. 

"  It  is  no  use  trying  to  take  aim,  lads,  just  after  such  a  run 
as  that.  You  must  wait  until  your  breath  comes  quietly,  and 
your  hands  get  steady  again.  You  would  be  only  throwing 
away  powder  and  ball,  and  we  shall  probably  want  all  we  have 
got  before  we  are  on  board  the  schooner  again." 

The  firing  above  still  continued,  and  looking  along  the  t  ill- 
side  men  could  be  seen  straggling  up  in  considerable  numbers 
on  either  side. 

"  Forward,   lads !   we  must  move  on  again.      Horace,  you 


RESCUED  169 

may  as  well  bring  your  men  straight  up.  There  is  no  fear  of 
their  venturing  on  an  attack  up  this  path.  Bring  your  father 
on  with  you.  There  is  no  occasion  for  haste;  we  will  push 
straight  up  now.  Forward!  Don't  run,  but  go  at  a  steady 
pace  that  you  can  keep  up  till  we  reach  the  top." 

Horace  followed  with  the  rear-guard  at  a  leisurely  walk 
wherever  the  inequalities  of  the  ground  sheltered  the  path 
from  the  bullets  that  still  came  singing  out  from  below,  and 
stepping  out  briskly  whenever  they  were  exposed  to  fire.  The 
coxswain  was  waiting  with  orders  when  they  reached  the  top. 

"The  captain's  orders  are,  Mr.  Beveridge, "  he  said  to 
Horace,  "  that  your  party  is  to  remain  here  for  the  present 
with  these  twenty  Greeks.  You  are  to  spread  along  the  edge 
here  for  a  bit  and  keep  up  a  fire,  if  the  Turks  try  to  climb  the 
hill  hereabouts.  The  captain  is  with  a  party  away  there  on 
that  high  ground  back  on  the  left,  and  Mr.  Tarleton  with  the 
rest  back  there  on  the  right,  so  as  to  prevent  the  varmint  work- 
ing round  in  front  of  us.  You  are  to  let  them  know  if  you 
see  any  large  bodies  of  men  climbing  the  hill,  either  right  or 
left  of  you." 

Horace  divided  his  party  in  two,  telling  Jones  with  five 
sailors  and  ten  Greeks  to  take  post  a  hundred  yards  to  the  left 
of  the  path,  while  he  with  the  others  went  the  same  distance 
to  the  right. 

"  Don't  let  them  waste  their  ammunition,  Jones.  My  father 
and  Zaimes  will  go  with  you,  and  as  you  three  have  rifles  you 
may  do  something  to  check  those  fellows  from  climbing  up 
away  to  the  left.  It  is  no  use  the  others  firing,  their  guns 
won't  carry  half  the  distance.  Of  course  if  the  Turks  try  to 
come  straight  up  from  the  wood  your  party  will  all  open  fire 
upon  them." 

As  soon  as  he  got  to  his  station  Horace  lay  down,  and  with 
one  of  the  sailors  with  him  who  had  a  rifle,  opened  fire  upon 
the  stream  of  men  ascending  the  hillside  near  the  head  of  the 
valley.  After  firing  three  or  four  rounds  he  told  the  sailor  to 
desist. 


170  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

"We  are  only  wasting  our  ammunition,  Frost,"  he  said. 
"They  are  seven  or  eight  hundred  yards  away,  and  the  rifles 
are  of  no  real  use  at  more  than  half  that  distance." 

Ten  minutes  later  he  sent  off  sailors  to  Martyn  and  Tarleton, 
to  tell  them  that  the  Turks  continued  to  climb  the  hill  in  large 
numbers,  and  that  he  should  think  that  at  least  two  hundred 
men  must  have  gone  up  on  each  flank,  that  flames  had  broken 
out  in  the  village,  and  numbers  of  men  were  pouring  out  from 
there,  and  would  probably  join  in  the  attack.  A  few  minutes 
later  a  message  came  from  Martyn: 

"The  captain  says,  sir,  that  now  the  women  have  got  half 
an  hour's  start  we  shall  fall  back.  Your  party  are  to  retire  by 
the  path.  He  and  Mr.  Tarleton  will  work  down  the  hill  on 
your  flanks.  You  are  to  keep  your  eye  on  them,  and  regu- 
late your  pace  by  theirs,  keeping  about  a  hundred  yards  in  their 
rear,  unless  you  are  pressed,  when  you  can  double  on  till  you 
are  in  line  with  them.  He  has  sent  orders  to  Mr.  Tarleton, 
sir." 

Horace  was  expecting  the  order,  A  sharp  fire  had  broken 
out  on  either  side,  and  he  knew  that  the  Turks  were  trying  to 
work  round  to  cut  them  off. 

"Run  on,"  he  said  to  the  sailor,  "and  tell  the  other  party 
over  there  to  join  me  in  the  path." 

In  three  minutes  the  united  body  was  marching  to  the  rear. 
The  crackle  of  musketry  was  now  incessant,  and  Horace  soon 
caught  sight  of  the  two  flanking  parties  making  their  way  down 
the  hill  at  a  distance  of  a  hundred  yards  or  so  on  either  side 
of  the  path.  They  were  in  scattered  order,  loading  as  they 
retired,  crouching  behind  rocks  to  take  a  steady  aim,  and  then 
retiring  again;  going  at  a  run  when  the  ground  permitted  it, 
hanging  to  the  rocks  and  bushes  when  they  afforded  shelter. 
On  the  higher  ground,  to  the  left  of  Martyn' s  party,  were  a 
number  of  Mussulmans.  They  were  pursuing  similar  tactics 
to  those  of  their  opponents — at  times  crouching  behind  rocks, 
and  then  bounding  forward  with  loud  yells. 

"Get  ready  to  fire,  lads,"  Horace  said.     "The  next  time 


RESCUED  171 

those  fellows  make  a  rush  give  them  a  volley.  They  are  not 
thinking  of  us  yet,  and  we  shall  take  them  by  surprise.  Take 
steady  aim;  don't  hurry.  Halt;  drop  on  one  knee.  They 
will  be  crossing  that  open  space  in  a  minute."  He  repeated 
the  order  to  the  Greeks.  "There  they  come,"  he  said  a  mo- 
ment later.     "  Get  ready  !     Now  fire  !  " 

Thirty  guns  rang  out;  several  of  the  Turks  fell,  and  the  rest, 
with  a  shout  of  surprise,  bounded  back  into  the  bushes. 

"Now  retire  briskly  for  a  bit,  and  load  as  you  go." 

After  a  hundred  yards'  running  they  again  fell  into  a  walk. 
Horace  kept  his  eye  upon  Tarleton's  party.  They  did  not 
seem  so  severely  pressed,  and  had  the  advantage  that  their 
foes  were  on  somewhat  lower  ground  than  they  were.  Pres- 
ently a  sailor  came  in  from  the  left. 

"Captain  Martyn's  orders  are  that  the  two  flanking  parties 
are  to  fall  back  quickly  to  the  path,  then  to  double  down  the 
hill  to  that  shoulder  a  mile  below.  You  are  to  act  as  rear- 
guard, and  to  follow  close  behind  them." 

In  two  or  three  minutes  the  two  flanking  parties,  taking 
advantage  of  cover  which  concealed  them  from  the  enemy, 
made  a  rush  to  the  path.  The  body  under  Tarleton  gained  it 
first,  and  at  once  started  down  at  the  top  of  their  speed. 
Martyn's  party  were  but  a  minute  later.  He  himself  paused 
till  Horace  came  up  at  a  run. 

"We  can  go  faster  down  this  path,"  he  said,  "than  they 
can  follow  over  the  rough  ground,  and  there  are  such  a  lot  of 
them  that  they  will  jostle  each  other  on  the  path,  and  won't 
get  along  as  fast  as  we  shall.  How  are  you  feeling,  Mr. 
Jieveridge?  " 

"  I  am  all  right  now  we  are  going  downhill,  Martyn.  It  is 
only  the  climbing  I  can't  stand.  This  is  really  very  exciting 
work,  though  I  don't  like  running  away." 

"We  will  make  another  stand  presently,  but  I  wanted  to  be 
getting  on.  They  will  get  stronger  every  minute,  and  we  shall 
have  to  fight  hard  presently.  Do  you  see  that  the  schooner 
has  gone?  " 


172  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

An  exclamation  broke  both  from  Mr.  Beveridge  and  Horace. 
In  the  excitement  of  the  fight  neither  of  them  had  thought  of 
the  schooner. 

"There  she  is,  five-and-twenty  miles  away  to  the  north- 
west, with  two  Turkish  frigates  lumbering  after  her." 

The  firing  had  ceased;  the  yells  of  the  Turks  rose  loudly  in 
the  air,  but  they  were  fully  two  or  three  hundred  yards  in  the 
rear. 

"We  are  in  plenty  of  time,"  Martyn  said.  "We  will  line 
the  other  side  of  that  flat  step  when  we  reach  it.  We  can 
keep  them  back  there  for  some  time." 

There  was  no  attempt  at  keeping  in  order,  the  path  was  too 
steep  and  broken;  but  they  went  down  running  and  leaping, 
each  as  he  best  could.  Down  the  path,  in  front,  was  a  long 
straggling  line  of  Greeks,  with  the  sailors,  keeping  in  two 
distinct  bodies,  among  them.  As  soon  as  the  head  of  the  line 
came  down  on  to  the  flat  step  in  the  hill  they  spread  out  right 
and  left,  and  in  less  than  ten  minutes  from  the  issue  of  the 
order  to  retreat  the  hundred  and  eighty  men  were  lying  down 
along  the  lower  edge  of  the  level  ground,  which  was  some  forty 
yards  across,  the  centre  of  the  position  being  left  vacant  for 
the  last  party  that  arrived.  The  instant  the  rear-guard  threw 
themselves  down  they  opened  a  heavy  fire  upon  the  Turks, 
who  were  crowding  down  the  path.  Horace  was  lying  next 
to  his  father. 

"Do  keep  your  head  lower,  father,"  he  said,  as  the  Turks 
left  the  path  and  bounded  in  among  the  rocks  and  shrubs  and 
opened  fire. 

"But  I  can't  take  aim  if  I  don't  see,  Horace." 

"No,  father,  that  is  right  enough;  but  you  might  move  a 
foot  or  two  back,  so  as  to  be  in  shelter  while  you  are  loading. 
Then,  if  you  push  your  rifle  up  before  you,  you  would  only 
have  to  raise  your  head  to  look  along  the  barrel  and  fire.  Some 
of  these  mountain  fellows  are  good  shots." 

The  firing  in  front  of  them  increased  every  moment  as  the 
Turks  poured  down  and  took  up  their  positions,  until  puffs  of 


RESCUED  1 1  3 

smoke  seemed  to  dart  out  from  every  bush  and  rock.  Martyn 
now  went  along  the  line  posting  the  men.  Horace's  party 
were  left  lying  thickly  opposite  the  path,  in  case  the  Turks 
should  attempt  a  rush.  The  rest  were  disposed  two  yards 
apart,  the  sailors  being  placed  at  regular  intervals  among  the 
Greeks.  Fortunately  the  ground  fell  sharp  away  from  the  flat, 
so  that  even  from  the  higher  ground  those  lying  behind  it 
were  completely  sheltered,  except  when  raising  their  heads  to 
fire.     This,  by  Martyn' s  orders,  they  did  but  seldom. 

"Let  them  blaze  away  as  much  as  they  like,"  he  said,  "they 
do  us  no  harm.  The  great  thing  is  to  have  every  musket 
loaded  in  case  they  make  up  their  minds  to  try  a  rush,  and  I 
don't  think  they  will  do  that.  The  more  smoke  they  make 
the  better,  for  it  prevents  them  taking  aim.  We  can  stop 
them  here  for  hours,  as  long  as  they  don't  work  round  our 
flanks." 

Satisfied  that  all  was  going  on  well,  Martyn  returned  to  Mr. 
Beveridge. 

"We  have  stopped  them  for  the  time  effectually,  sir." 

"Yes,  this  is  a  capital  position,  Martyn." 

"Capital  as  far  as  it  goes,  sir.  Of  course  if  these  fellows 
were  soldiers  they  would  either  gather  and  make  a  rush,  or 
march  away  and  work  round  our  flanks;  but  being  only  peas- 
ants, there  is  no  one  to  command,  and  every  man  fights  for 
himself.      Macfarlane  is  at  work  with  the  wounded." 

"Did  you  lose  many  men  in  your  retreat,  Martyn?  " 

"No:  three  of  the  Greeks  were  killed  and  half  a  dozen  of 
them  were  wounded,  fortunately  not  severely.  Two  of  our 
own  fellows  were  hit,  but  neither  of  them  badly.  I  have  sent 
them  and  the  Greeks  on  ahead  to  join  the  women  on  the 
shore.  Tarleton  lost  two  Greeks,  killed,  and  had  about  as 
many  wounded  as  I  had.  One  poor  fellow  was  so  badly  hit 
that  he  could  not  keep  up  with  the  others  on  the  retreat. 
Two  of  our  men  tried  to  carry  him:  but  it  hurt  him  so  much 
that  he  begged  them  to  put  him  down:  and  as  soon  as  they 
did  he  drew  his  pistol  and  shot  himself.     So,  altogether,  we 


174  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

have  lost  six,  which  is  little  enough,  considering  we  are  more 
than  half-way  down  to  the  shore." 

"  If  they  do  try  to  outflank  us,  I  suppose  we  must  fall  back 
again?  " 

"  Yes,  if  they  succeed  we  must  do  so.  Of  course  we  shall 
try  to  prevent  it.  Directly  I  see  any  signs  of  their  trying  it 
on,  I  shall  make  a  strong  effort  to  drive  them  back;  but  I 
don't  think  they  will  try  it  at  present,  the  sole  object  of  each 
man  seems  to  be  to  fire  away  his  ammunition  as  quickly  as  he 
can.  I  have  just  been  giving  orders  to  the  Greeks  and  our 
fellows  to  shove  their  caps  up  in  front  of  them  on  the  ends  of 
their  ramrods,  so  as  to  encourage  the  Turks  to  keep  on  firing, 
and  to  push  a  musket  up  and  fire  occasionally,  without  raising 
their  heads  to  take  aim.  The  smoke  hanging  about  along  the 
line  will  hide  the  trick  of  the  caps,  and  the  shots  will  keep  the 
Turks  blazing  away." 

For  two  hours  the  firing  continued;  but  towards  the  end  of 
that  time  it  slackened  considerably. 

"  I  expect  a  good  many  of  them  are  running  short  of  ammu- 
nition," Martyn  said.  "Now  they  have  done  firing  they  will 
have  time  to  talk  a  bit,  and  may  arrange  to  march  off  some- 
where, and  come  down  between  us  and  the  shore;  so  I  think 
it  is  time  for  us  to  be  making  a  move.  I  will  go  along  and 
tell  every  third  man  to  fall  back  at  once.  I  think,  Mr.  Bever- 
idge,  it  would  be  as  well  that  you  should  go  with  them.  I 
shall  send  Tarleton  in  command,  and  tell  him  to  pick  out  a 
spot,  from  a  hundred  to  three  hundred  yards  from  the  shore, 
and  place  the  men  in  position  there.  Five  minutes  later  you 
shall  pick  out  every  second  man,  Horace,  and  go  down  and 
join  them.  We  will  keep  up  a  morj  rapid  fire  now,  so  that 
they  sha'n't  have  any  idea  we  are  falling  back.  Of  course, 
when  you  join  Tarleton,  you  will  take  up  your  position  with 
him.  I  shall  be  down  five  minutes  after  you.  When  we  are 
all  there  we  can  form  a  semicircle,  with  the  ends  resting  on 
the  sea,  and  there  will  be  an  end  of  this  constant  fear  of  being 
outflanked." 


RESCUED  1 1  o 

Five  minutes  later  Tarleton,  with  a  third  of  the  men,  went 
off  at  the  double  down  the  path.  Those  left  behind  renewed 
their  fire,  taking  aim  among  the  rocks  and  bushes,  and  this  at 
once  provoked  a  fresh  outburst  of  firing  on  the  part  of  the 
Turks.  In  a  short  time  Martyn  told  Horace  to  get  his  men 
together  and  be  off,  and  in  twenty  minutes  he  joined  Tarleton, 
who  had  taken  up  his  post  at  a  little  more  than  a  hundred 
yards  from  the  shore.  The  men  were  slashing  down  bushes 
with  their  cutlasses,  and  piling  them  and  stones  so  as  to  make 
a  low  breastwork.  The  party  Horace  had  brought  at  once 
joined  in  the  work. 

"It  is  a  screen  we  want  more  than  a  defence,"  Tarleton 
said.  "  You  see  we  are  commanded  everywhere  from  the  hill, 
but  these  bushes  will  hide  us,  and  they  will  only  be  able  to 
fire  into  them  at  random;  besides,  we  want  them  cut  down  in 
front  of  us  to  be  able  to  use  our  guns." 

They  were  soon  joined  by  the  rear-guard. 

"The  Turks  must  be  some  distance  behind,"  Martyn  said. 
"We  could  hear  them  blazing  away  when  we  were  nearly  half 
a  mile  on  the  road.  That  is  a  good  work,  Mr.  Tarleton;  we 
shall  get  it  finished  by  the  time  they  come." 

So  strong  a  party  made  quick  work  of  it,  and  in  another 
quarter  of  an  hour  the  screen  of  bushes  was  completed  down 
to  the  shore  on  either  side,  the  sweep  being  some  three  hun- 
dred yards  in  length,  and  the  breastwork  in  most  places  three 
feet  high. 

"It  won't  keep  out  bullets,"  Martyn  said;  "but  from  the 
distance  they  won't  see  how  thin  it  is.  At  any  rate  it  is  a 
good  screen." 

The  whole  of  the  Greeks  and  twenty  of  the  sailors  were 
placed  at  intervals  of  about  six  feet  apart  behind  the  screen, 
and  each  man  was  told  to  dig  up  the  soil  with  a  knife  or  cut- 
lass in  front  of  him,  and  with  that  and  a  few  rocks  to  make  a 
protection  fur  himself  against  stray  bullets.  The  other  twenty 
sailors  Martyn  retained  under  his  own  command  to  carry  to 
the  assistance  of  the  defenders  at  any  point  against  which  a 


176  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

serious  attack  might  be  made.  Mr.  Beveridge  had  gone  down 
at  once  to  the  women  and  children  who  were  sitting  under 
shelter  of  the  bank  by  the  sea-shore,  and  cheered  them  by 
assurances  that  the  schooner  would  be  sure  to  return  some  time 
during  the  night.  It  was  not  until  a  quarter  of  an  hour  after 
the  screen  had  been  completed  that  parties  of  Turks  could  be 
seen  descending  the  side  of  the  hill.  They  did  not  seem  to 
be  hurrying. 

"They  think  they  have  got  us  in  a  trap,  Horace,"  Tarleton 
said,  "and  that  they  have  only  to  wait  a  bit  to  starve  us  out. 
Perhaps  it  is  just  as  well  the  schooner  made  off,  for  it  would 
have  been  hot  work  all  getting  on  board  under  their  fire, 
whereas  now  we  shall  be  able  to  slip  off  in  the  dark  almost 
without  their  knowing  it." 

When  the  Turks  approached  to  within  a  distance  of  three  or 
four  hundred  yards  of  the  breastwork,  the  party  with  the  rifles 
opened  fire  upon  them,  and  they  at  once  fell  back  some  little 
distance.  For  half  an  hour  nothing  was  done,  and  then  a 
party  of  fifty  or  sixty  men  were  seen  reascending  the  hill. 

"They  are  going  to  make  a  siege  of  it,"  Martyn  said. 
"They  don't  like  the  look  of  this  breastwork." 

"But  what  are  they  sending  the  men  away  for,  Martyn?" 
Horace  asked. 

"Because  it  is  just  as  necessary  for  them  to  eat  and  drink, 
Horace,  as  it  is  for  us.  We  have  got  our  water-bottles  and 
biscuits,  and  the  Greeks  have  all  brought  something  with 
them;  they  were  warned  to  do  so  before  they  started.  But 
those  gentlemen  all  came  off  in  a  hurry.  I  don't  expect  any 
of  them  had  breakfast,  and  in  the  excitement  not  one  in  twenty 
is  likely  to  have  caught  up  as  much  as  a  gourd  of  water,  so  I 
have  no  doubt  those  men  you  see  going  up  the  hill  are  on  their 
way  to  their  villages  for  a  supply  of  food  and  water,  and  per- 
haps to  get  some  more  ammunition  if  they  can  find  any.  I 
will  warrant  half  those  fellows  in  front  of  us  have  fired  away 
their  last  shot.  You  will  see  they  won't  disturb  us  any  more 
to-day." 


RESCUED  177 

A  few  shots  only  were  fired  from  either  side  during  the 
course  of  the  day,  this  apparently  being  done  on  the  part  of 
the  Turks  from  pure  bravado,  as  they  generally  showed  them- 
selves conspicuously,  brandished  their  long  guns  over  their 
heads,  and  shouted  defiantly  before  firing.  One  of  them, 
however,  having  been  shot  by  a  sailor  armed  with  a  rifle,  the 
amusement  ceased,  and  during  the  afternoon  all  was  quiet.  An 
anxious  look-out  was  kept  seaward  all  day.  At  five  in  the 
afternoon  one  of  the  sailors  sang  out,  "Sail,  ho!  " 

"Where  away,  Baldock?" 

"About  west-north-west  I  should  say,  sir,  though  I  ain't 
sure  of  my  bearings  here." 

Martyn  went  up  to  where  the  man  was  standing  on  a  rock 
that  projected  eight  or  ten  feet  above  the  surrounding  ground, 
a  position  which  would  have  been  dangerous  had  not  the 
Turks  been  almost  out  of  range. 

"There,  sir,  do  you  see  just  under  that  streak  of  white 
cloud?  it  is  a  little  black  patch." 

"  I  see  it,  Baldock." 

"I  believe  it  is  the  schooner's  gaff  top-sail,  sir;  it  is  too 
narrow  for  a  square  sail." 

"  I  think  you  are  right,  Baldock.  It  might  be  the  peak  of 
one  of  the  native  lateen  sails,  but  I  think  it  is  too  far  away 
for  that.  It  is  about  the  direction  we  might  expect  the 
schooner  to  come  from.  She  was  more  to  the  north-west  when 
we  saw  her  last,  but  to  get  round  the  Turks  she  would  have  to 
bear  either  one  way  or  the  other,  and  if  she  ran  to  the  south 
that  is  just  about  where  she  would  be  on  her  way  back.  Hullo  ! 
that  was  a  near  shave;  we  had  better  get  off  this,  Baldock." 

"Are  you  hit,  sir?  " 

"  Yes,  but  I  don't  think  it  is  of  any  consequence;  it  is 
in  the  arm,  but  as  I  can  move  it  all  right,  it  is  only  through 
the  flesh." 

Half  a  dozen  guns  had  flashed  out  in  reply  to  the  shot, 
which  had  been  fired  from  a  distance  of  less  than  a  hundred 
yards,  the  man  having  crept  through  the  bushes  unseen. 
Martyn's  coat  was  taken  off  and  his  arm  bandaged  at  once. 


178  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

"  It  is  rather  foolish  to  expose  yourself  like  that,  Captain 
Martyn,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said  as  he  came  up.  "Your  life  is 
too  valuable  to  us  all  to  be  risked  in  that  way." 

"It  was  rather  foolish,"  Martyn  laughed;  "but  I  thought 
the  fellows  were  out  of  range,  and  did  not  give  them  credit 
for  enterprise.  Anyhow  there  is  no  great  harm  done.  I 
think  we  have  made  out  the  schooner,  sir,  and  it  is  worth 
getting  a  ball  through  one's  arm  to  know  that  she  is  on  her 
way  back." 

"  Do  you  feel  sure  it  is  her?  " 

"Well,  I  can  say  that  it  is  not  a  square  top-sail;  that  is 
certain,  and  it  must  either  be  her  gaff  top-sail  or  the  peak  of 
a  lateen  sail  of  one  of  these  native  craft;  but  I  think  it  is  the 
schooner.  If  it  is,  we  sha'n't  be  long  before  we  can  make  out 
her  fore-top  gallant-sail.  No  native  craft  carries  a  lateen 
and  anything  like  a  square  sail." 

"If  it  is  the  schooner,  how  far  is  she  off,  do  you  think?" 

"  Five-and-twenty  miles,  I  should  say.  There  is  not  much 
breeze,  but  that  is  all  the  better,  for  she  will  be  slipping  along 
now  at  least  two  knots  to  the  Turks'  one,  while  in  a  strong 
breeze  she  would  not  go  more  than  five  to  their  four.  It  is 
five  o'clock  now,  and  though  we  can't  feel  any  wind  here,  I 
expect  she  is  making  five  or  six  knots  an  hour.  Anyhow  she 
ought  to  be  here  between  ten  and  twelve." 

A  quarter  of  an  hour  later  Baldock  said :  "  May  I  take 
another  squint  from  the  look-out,  sir?" 

"Yes,  but  don't  stand  there  long,  Baldock.  I  expect  that 
fellow  has  moved  off  again  if  he  was  not  hit  by  any  of  our 
shots.     Still  it  is  as  well  not  to  give  him  another  chance." 

Baldock  stood  on  the  rock  shading  his  eyes  from  the  light 
of  the  western  sun,  which  was  now  getting  near  the  horizon. 
For  a  minute  or  two  he  stood  uncertain,  and  then  said : 

"  It  is  the  schooner,  sir,  sure  enough.  I  can  just  make  out 
a  black  line  below  the  sail;  that  must  be  her  fore-top  gallant- 
sail  just  showing." 

A  cheer  broke  from  the  sailors  lying  along  the  shelter  of 
the  screen  of  bushes. 


RESCUED  179 

"  That  is  good  news,  Baldock,"  Martyn  said.  "  Come  down 
now;  another  half-hour  will  settle  it  anyhow,  and  there  will 
be  light  enough  till  then." 

The  next  observation  settled  the  question.  It  was  certainly 
a  square  sail  underneath  the  sharp  peak  of  a  gaff  top-sail.  The 
joy  of  the  Greeks  was  extreme  when  they  heard  that  the 
vessel  that  was  to  carry  them  away  was  in  sight. 

"The  schooner  will  be  in  a  nice  mess,"  Martyn  grumbled 
to  Tarleton.  "With  what  there  are  on  board  now,  and  all 
these,  there  will  be  something  like  six  hundred  of  them;  a 
nice  cargo  that." 

"There  is  one  thing,"  Horace  laughed,  "I  expect  she  has 
carried  as  many  before." 

"Yes,  I  daresay  she  has  taken  six  hundred  slaves,  but  we 
can't  pack  these  Greeks  as  they  pack  slaves.  There  will  be 
no  moving  on  board,  and  as  to  fighting  the  guns  if  we  fall  in 
with  a  Turk,  it  will  be  well-nigh  impossible.  Why,  she  will 
be  as  deep  in  the  water  as  she  was  when  we  sailed  out  of 
Plymouth.  What  is  the  weight  of  them  all,  Horace,  do  you 
suppose?  " 

"  Not  very  great,  Captain  Martyn.  I  don't  suppose  there 
are  a  dozen  of  the  men  weigh  over  ten  stone.  I  suppose  the 
women  average  seven,  and  the  children,  counting  babies,  say 
four.  As  there  are  as  many  children  as  there  are  men,  that 
would  make  the  average  seven  stone  all  round,  but  even  if  you 
said  eight  stone,  which  is  a  hundredweight,  and  they  are  cer- 
tainly not  that,  or  anything  near  it,  that  would  make  thirty 
tons,  and  it  won't  be  over  that  if  you  throw  in  all  the  bundles. 
You  calculated  that  you  got  fifty  tons  out  of  her  hold." 

"Oh,  well,  that  is  not  so  bad.  If  it  comes  on  to  blow  we 
will  make  shifting  ballast  of  them,  and  pack  them  all  up  to 
windward  on  both  decks;  that  ought  to  make  her  as  stiff  as  a 
church.  It  will  be  a  big  job  getting  them  all  on  board  to- 
night. 'Ihere  is  one  thing,  I  don't  suppose  the  Turks  have 
made  her  out.  ( )f  course  the)'  don't  know  that  we  are  expect- 
ing a  vessel,  or  anything  about  her  rig.     We  must  make  a  fire 


180  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

down  on  the  shore  as  soon  as  it  gets  dark,  and  keep  a  sharp 
look-out  for  her,  putting  the  fire  out  as  soon  as  she  is  near 
enough  for  the  light  to  begin  to  show  on  her  sails.  Then  we 
will  open  fire  all  along  the  line  as  if  we  thought  we  heard  them 
creeping  up  towards  us,  and  that  will  cover  the  rattling  of  the 
anchor  chain.  I  will  hail  Miller  to  muffle  the  oars,  and  in 
that  way  we  may  manage  to  get  most  of  them  on  board  at  any 
rate  before  the  Turks  have  an  idea  of  what  is  going  on.  By 
firing  an  occasional  shot  we  shall  keep  their  attention  fixed, 
and  gradually  withdraw  from  the  line  as  we  did  from  that 
place  we  held  up  there." 


CHAPTER  X 


A   DARING    EXPLOIT 


SOON  after  nine  o'clock  Will  Martyn  took  his  post  on  the 
shore  at  the  northern  end  of  the  position.  A  dropping 
fire  was  kept  up  all  round  the  semicircle,  as  if  the  defenders 
feared  that  the  assailants  might  be  trying  to  crawl  up  towards 
them.  Martyn  continued  to  listen  intently  for  half  an  hour, 
then  he  thought  he  heard  a  sound  on  the  water.  In  another 
minute  or  two  he  could  make  out  the  sound  of  voices. 

"  Miller  has  got  his  head  screwed  on  the  right  way,"  he  said 
to  himself.  "  He  is  showing  no  lights."  Another  five  minutes 
and  he  could  dimly  make  out  the  outline  of  the  schooner. 

" Misericordia  ahoy!"  he  shouted. 

"Ay,  ay,"  came  across  the  water. 

"  I  am  going  to  put  out  the  fire  so  that  the  light  won't  show 
on  your  sails,  and  in  a  minute  or  two  I  am  going  to  open  fire 
heavily  to  cover  the  rattle  of  the  chains.  Directly  you  hear 
us  begin  let  go  the  anchor;  don't  answer." 

Horace  was  standing  by  the  fire,  and  he  at  once  scattered 
the  brands  and  threw  sand  over  them.     Martyn  ran  up  to  the 


A    DARING    EXPLOIT  181 

front  of  the  position  and  shouted,  "  Open  fire  !  "  and  the  rattle 
of  musketry  broke  out  all  round  the  screen.  The  Turks,  sur- 
prised at  the  sudden  din,  and  fearing  that  a  sortie  was  going 
to  be  made,  replied  briskly,  and  for  four  or  five  minutes  the 
fire  was  maintained.  Horace  down  on  the  shore  heard  the 
rattle  of  the  anchor  chain  and  the  creaking  of  the  blocks, 
followed  shortly  by  the  sound  of  the  tackle  as  the  boats  were 
lowered. 

"Please  muffle  the  oars,  Mr.  Miller!"  he  shouted,  and  the 
answering  hail  came  across  the  water.  Twelve  of  the  sailors 
came  down  from  their  posts  to  assist  with  the  boats,  and  in 
three  or  four  minutes  there  was  a  slight  splash  of  oars,  and 
the  four  boats  of  the  schooner  ran  gently  ashore. 

"All  well,  I  hope?"  Tom  Burdett  asked  as  he  jumped  out. 

"All  well,  Tom,  with  the  exception  of  about  half  a  dozen 
slightly  wounded." 

"Thank  God!"  the  boatswain  said.  "I  tell  you  we  felt 
mighty  sore  at  having  to  run  away  and  leave  you  just  at  day- 
break this  morning,  and  you  can't  tell  how  glad  we  were  when 
we  caught  sight  of  the  fire  first  and  then  made  out  the  popping 
of  the  guns.     Have  you  got  the  Greeks  out,  Mr.  Horace?  " 

"Yes,  there  are  over  five  hundred  of  them  here." 

"My  eye!"  the  sailor  said,  "that  is  something  like  a 
cargo."  r 

"  I  have  got  twelve  men  here,  Tom.  That  will  give  you 
four  and  a  helmsman  to  each  boat  with  what  you  have  got. 
Has  Marco  come  ashore  with  you?" 

"Yes,  Mr.  Horace.  I  thought  I  might  be  useful  if  you  had 
got  the  Ghristians  with  you." 

"Yes,  that  is  what  I  wanted  you  for,  Marco.  Now,  then," 
he  said  to  the  women  who  were  clustered  behind  him,  "take 
your  places  in  the  boats.  Help  them  in,  lads;  there  are  lots 
of  children  among  them.  You  need  not  be  afraid  of  packing 
them  closely  so  long  as  you  leave  yourselves  room  to  row,  for 
there  is  not  a  ripple  on  the  water.  Father,  would  you  mind 
going  off  with  the  first  lot?  "  he  said  as  Mr.  Beveridge  came 


182  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

up.  "Marco  has  come  ashore  to  help  here,  and  Mr.  Millei 
does  not  talk  their  language.  If  you  take  Zaimes  with  you  he 
can  help  settle  them  down  as  they  come  on  board.  Mind, 
lads,  you  are  to  make  as  little  noise  as  you  can.  There  are 
six  hundred  of  those  Turks  lying  round  us,  and  if  they  got  a 
notion  of  what  was  going  on  they  would  be  coming  on  us  like 
a  pack  of  wolves,  and  in  the  dark  they  would  be  among  us 
before  we  knew  that  they  were  coming,  and  your  first  boat- 
load would  be  your  last.  Impress  upon  the  Greeks,  father, 
when  they  get  on  board,  that  not  a  word  must  be  spoken." 

"Mr.  Miller  will  see  to  that,  sir,  no  doubt,"  the  boatswain 
said.  "  He  has  got  the  whole  lot  of  them  down  between 
decks,  and  he  and  Bill  Scoons  have  got  the  deck  to  them- 
selves." 

The  women  and  children  were  crowded  into  the  boats, 
which  were  first  backed  btern  on  shore  to  allow  them  to  enter. 
The  sailors  lifted  the  chiliren,  and  wading  into  the  water  put 
them  in.  The  smaller  boats  pushed  off  as  soon  as  they  were 
filled,  and  they  were  back  again  just  after  the  two  larger  ones 
started.  The  schooner  was  but  a  hundred  yards  away,  and 
so  quickly  did  the  work  go  on  that  in  little  more  than  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  the  last  batch  of  women  and  children  left  the  shore. 
Horace  directed  Marco  to  see  that  the  wounded  were  care- 
fully lifted  into  the  next  boat,  and  to  go  on  board  with  them; 
he  then  ran  up  to  Martyn.  The  continuous  fire  had  ceased 
now,  but  dropping  shots  were  kept  up  all  round  the  position. 

" The  last  batch  has  gone  on  board,  Captain  Martyn,"  he 
reported. 

"Thank  God  for  that,  Horace!  That  is  a  load  off  one's 
mind.  It  is  a  smart  piece  of  work  to  have  got  them  on  board 
so  soon.  I  did  not  expect  you  for  some  time  yet.  I  have 
been  listening  sharply.  Of  course  I  heard  sounds,  but  even 
here  they  were  faint,  while  the  Turks,  being  twice  as  far 
away,  can  hardly  have  heard  them,  and  if  they  did  would  not 
have  made  them  out,  knowing  nothing  of  what  is  going  on. 
Now  do  you  and  Tarleton  go  off,  one  each  way,   and  send 


A    DARING    EXPLOIT  183 

every  third  man  down  to  the  boats;  but  if  the  third  man  is  a 
sailor  send  the  next  Greek  to  him.  When  you  get  down  to 
the  shore  go  along  to  the  boats  and  see  the  men  off.  As  soon 
as  they  are  in  the  boats  start  back  again,  sending  the  rest  of 
the  Greeks  down  to  the  shore.  Then  when  you  join  me  here 
I  shall  know  that  there  are  only  our  own  men  to  draw  off. 
Tell  them  all  to  keep  up  a  pretty  sharp  fire  when  the  Greeks 
have  left." 

In  a  very  few  minutes  they  were  beside  him  again.  "The 
boats  took  the  first  batch  off  in  one  trip,  sir,"  Tarleton 
reported,  "and  they  will  be  back  again  by  the  time  the  last 
fellows  we  have  sent  down  get  to  the  shore." 

"We  will  give  them  five  minutes  and  then  be  off." 

"  Mr.  Miller  sent  word  by  the  boatswain,  sir,  that  he  had 
got  the  guns  loaded  with  grape,  and  blue  lights  ready,  so  that 
if  they  should  at  the  last  moment  press  you  he  will  sweep  the 
hillside  as  soon  as  you  bring  the  men  down  to  the  shore." 

"I  hope  we  shall  not  want  it,"  Martyn  said;  "but  it  is  well 
to  be  on  the  safe  side.  I  am  sure  we  don't  want  to  kill  any 
more  of  these  poor  beggars  than  we  can  help.  Of  course  they 
wanted  to  massacre  the  Christians,  but  as  they  know  their  own 
people  have  been  massacred  in  tens  of  thousands  by  the 
Greeks,  it  is  only  human  nature  they  should  take  revenge. 
Anyhow  I  am  glad  there  has  not  been  much  bloodshed.  The 
only  time  we  got  fairly  at  them  was  when  they  first  gathered 
for  a  charge  at  that  olive  grove,  and  again  when  they  came 
down  the  path  to  that  place  where  we  stopped  them.  Of 
course  a  few  fell  while  we  were  falling  back,  but  I  should  say 
that  from  forty  to  fifty  would  be  quite  the  outside;  and  likely 
enough  it  may  not  have  been  half  that.  It  has  been  a  much 
easier  business  than  I  expected.  1  must  say,  when  we  first 
got  into  the  village  and  I  saw  what  a  crowd  of  women  and 
children  there  were  there  I  thought  we  were  going  to  have  a 
very  tough  job  before  we  got  on  board  the  schooner  again. 
Now  1  think  we  can  fall  back.  ( )o  down  to  the  shore  again, 
please,  and  start  the  men  from  that  end,  so  that  we  can  keep 
on  firing  from  here  up  to  the  last  moment." 


J.S4  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

In  a  very  few  minutes  the  last  of  the  defenders  stepped  into 
the  boats  and  rowed  off  to  the  ship. 

"All  safe,  Captain  Martyn?"  Miller's  voice  asked  as  the 
boats  came  alongside. 

"All  safe,  Mr.  Miller." 

"Then  we  will  give  a  hearty  cheer,  sir.  They  will  know  in 
a  few  minutes  that  you  have  gone,  and  it  will  make  no  differ- 
ence.    Now,  lads,  all  together." 

And  three  hearty  cheers  broke  from  the  English  sailors, 
swelled  by  shouts  and  yells  from  the  Greeks  clustered  on  deck. 
As  they  stepped  on  to  the  deck  Miller  shook  hands  heartily 
with  Martyn,  Tarleton,  and  Horace. 

"Thank  Heaven  you  are  all  back  safe  again!"  he  said, 
"and,  as  I  hear,  without  the  loss  of  a  single  life.  We  have 
had  an  anxious  time  of  it,  as  you  may  guess,  since  you  have 
been  away.     I  suppose  we  may  as  well  get  the  boats  up,  sir?  " 

"Certainly.  We  sha'n't  want  to  go  ashore  again,  Miller." 
The  boatswain's  whistle  rang  out,  the  falls  were  hooked  on, 
and  the  boats  run  up  to  the  davits. 

"Don't  swing  them  in  at  present,"  Martyn  said.  "We 
want  all  our  room  on  deck.  What  have  you  done  about  the 
Greeks,  Miller?  " 

"The  cook  had  a  big  copper  of  soup  ready,  and  they  each 
had  a  basin  as  they  came  on  board.  We  have  given  up  the 
whole  of  the  lower  deck  to  the  women  and  children.  Our 
fellows  and  the  men  sleep  on  deck." 

"  I  thought  that  was  how  you  would  manage,  Miller;  indeed 
I  don't  see  any  other  way  that  it  could  be  done." 

"  I  have  got  all  the  scuttles  open  down  below,"  Miller  said, 
"and  the  hatchways  off,  so  I  think  they  will  manage.  It  will 
be  pretty  close,  no  doubt,  but  none  of  these  people  are  par- 
ticularly fond  of  fresh  air." 

"You  have  got  supper  ready  for  the  men,  I  hope,  Miller. 
They  had  something  to  eat  in  the  village  at  daybreak,  and 
they  have  had  the  biscuits  they  took  with  them;  but  I  expect 
they  are  all  ready  for  a  regular  meal.  Of  course  they  will 
have  a  ration  of  grog  all  round." 


A    DARING    EXPLOIT  18a 

"I  have  seen  to  all  that,  sir,  and  Marco  came  up  just  before 
you  came  alongside,  to  say  that  supper  would  be  ready  for  us 
in  five  minutes.  How  he  managed  it  I  don't  know,  for  he, 
Mr.  Beveridge,  and  Zaimes  have  been  busy  settling  the  women 
below  ever  since  they  came  on  board.  How  did  the  chief  get 
through  it?" 

"As  well  as  anyone,  except  in  the  climbing.  There  is  a 
lot  more  in  him  than  we  thought,  Miller.  I  watched  him  when 
he  was  loading  and  firing,  and  he  was  just  as  cool  and  quiet 
as  if  he  was  sitting  here  on  the  quarter-deck,  and  what  was 
better,  he  always  fell  in  with  what  I  suggested  without  any 
talk  or  argument,  and  if  I  were  asked  I  should  say  that  he 
really  enjoyed  the  whole  business.  I  have  never  seen  him 
look  so  bright  and  animated.  Well,  I  am  quite  ready  for 
supper;  at  least  I  shall  be  when  I  have  had  a  wash." 

In  a  short  time  the  party  in  the  cabin  was  seated  at  supper. 
All  were  in  the  highest  spirits.  Their  enterprise  had  been  a 
complete  success  in  every  respect,  and  they  were  the  more 
pleased  that  it  had  been  accomplished  without  the  loss  of 
a  single  life  on  the  part  of  the  crew.  The  supper  was  not 
quite  so  varied  as  usual,  and  Marco  apologized  for  its  short- 
comings. 

"There  is  no  occasion  to  say  a  word,  Marco.  It  is  excel- 
lent," Martyn  said.  "I  don't  know  how  on  earth  you  have 
managed  it." 

"  I  had  most  of  it  ready  before  we  dropped  anchor,  Captain 
Martyn,"  he  said,  "but  I  went  ashore  with  the  boats  and  have 
been  helping  with  the  women  until  a  few  minutes  ago,  so  I 
have  not  had  time  to  finish  the  things  properly;  but  I  thought 
you  would  rather  have  them  so  than  wait." 

"Much  rather,  Marco.  Now,  Miller,  let  us  hear  your  re- 
port. I  have  not  had  time  to  ask  you  a  single  question  since 
I  came  on  board.  We  made  you  out  from  the  top  of  the  hill 
twenty-five  miles  away,  with  two  Turkish  frigates  after  you." 

"Yes,"  Miller  said,  "we  were  as  near  as  possible  caught  ii 
a  trap.     It  was  lucky  I  had  had  the  anchor  buoyed  and  the 


186  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

chain  ready  to  slip.  Of  course  we  kept  a  sharp  watch  all 
night;  I  was  on  deck  half  an  hour  before  day  began  to  break, 
for  I  knew  that  that  was  the  dangerous  time.  It  was  very 
dark  then." 

"Yes,  we  know  that,"  Martyn  put  in.  "We  pretty  nearly 
broke  our  necks  scrambling  along  the  face  of  a  hill  nearly  as 
steep  as  a  wall." 

"Just  as  the  first  gleam  of  daylight  came,"  Miller  went  on, 
"I  made  out  two  large  craft  coming  along  about  a  mile  and  a 
half  from  shore.  They  were  not  quite  abreast  of  us,  perhaps 
half  a  mile  south.  You  may  guess  we  lost  no  time  in  slipping 
the  chain  and  getting  up  our  head  sails.  Fortunately  there 
was  enough  breeze  even  in  here  to  fill  our  sails.  I  knew  they 
could  not  make  us  out  as  yet,  lying  in  here  under  the  shadow 
of  the  land,  and,  indeed,  I  was  half  inclined  for  a  moment  to 
lower  the  sails  and  trust  to  their  not  making  us  out  at  all,  but 
as  it  would  soon  be  light,  and  no  doubt  they  would  be  keep- 
ing a  sharp  look-out  for  us,  I  saw  it  wouldn't  do.  It  was  not 
long  before  I  saw  that,  though,  of  course,  they  had  a  good  deal 
more  wind  than  we  had,  we  were  holding  our  own  with  them. 

"Ten  minutes  after  we  got  under  weigh  they  made  us  out 
and  changed  their  course,  steering  so  as  to  cut  us  off  before 
we  were  clear  of  the  northern  point,  while  I  stood  a  little 
more  out  so  as  to  get  farther  from  the  shelter  of  the  land  and 
catch  a  little  more  breeze.  They  closed  a  bit  with  us,  and 
one  of  them  began  to  try  the  distance  with  his  bow-guns,  but 
though  we  were  not  quite  out  of  range,  the  shot  went  alto- 
gether wide  of  us.  I  never  saw  such  lubberly  shooting.  We 
were  better  than  a  mile  ahead  when  we  came  out  beyond  the 
point  and  got  the  true  wind.  As  soon  as  I  felt  her  beginning 
to  walk  along  I  got  a  couple  of  sails  overboard  to  deaden  her 
way  and  stood  for  the  north-west.  The  Turks  got  out  stun- 
sails  and  did  their  best  to  come  up  to  us,  and  as  the  wind  was 
pretty  fresh  they  walked  along  faster  than  I  should  have  given 
them  credit  for,  and  I  had  to  get  one  of  the  sails  on  board 
again  to  keep  my  distance.     They  fired  occasionally,  but  as  1 


A    DARING    EXPLOIT  187 

kept  them  in  line  they  could  only  bring  a  couple  of  bow- 
chasers  to  bear. 

"I  don't  think  we  altered  our  distance  by  a  ship's  length 
for  six  hours,  by  which  time  we  were  a  good  thirty  miles 
away  from  the  island,  and  nearly  dead  to  leeward;  so  I  thought 
it  was  about  time  to  begin  to  have  some  amusement.  Directly 
we  had  started  I  had  got  the  cook  to  make  a  tremendous  fire 
in  the  galley,  and  had  put  six  eighteen-pounder  shot  in  it.  I 
kept  coal  heaped  on,  and  stuck  a  couple  of  extra  lengths  on 
to  the  chimney  to  make  it  draw,  and  by  this  time  the  balls 
were  red-hot.  We  did  not  begin  with  them  at  first,  but  hav- 
ing got  the  second  sail  out  of  water  we  luffed  a  little  so  as  to 
get  the  pivot  to  bear,  and  Tom  Burdett  sent  the  first  shot 
smack  into  the  frigate's  fore-foot.  She  yawed  a  bit,  and  let 
us  have  four  or  five  of  her  forward  guns  on  the  starboard  side, 
and  this  time  a  couple  of  shot  went  through  our  sails.  As  I 
did  not  want  to  run  any  risks  I  held  on  till  I  put  another  half- 
mile  between  us;  then  I  began  again  with  the  pivot. 

"The  boatswain  is  a  capital  shot  and  hulled  the  leading 
frigate  every  time.  Evidently  she  did  not  like  it.  I  expect 
she  had  no  idea  that  a  craft  of  this  size  carried  such  heavy 
metal,  and  she  came  up  into  the  wind  and  gave  us  a  broad- 
side. I  put  the  helm  down  at  the  same  moment  as  she  did 
and  returned  the  compliment.  We  trained  the  guns  high, 
and  as  good  luck  would  have  it  one  of  the  shots  struck  the 
maintop-mast  and  down  it  came  bringing  the  fore  and  mizzen- 
topgallant  masts  down  with  it.  We  gave  a  cheer,  and  the 
Greeks  yelled  like  fiends.  I  had  sent  the  women  and  children 
down  into  the  hold,  but  the  men  were  on  deck,  and  they  danced 
about  like  lunatics  when  they  saw  the  top  hamper  of  the  Turk 
go  over  her  side.  We  wore  round  and  gave  her  the  other 
broadside,  then  I  set  the  Greeks  to  work  to  load  the  broadside 
guns,  while  our  fellows  went  to  the  pivot  again. 

"  Now  was  the  time  to  try  the  red-hot  shot  while  she  was 
lying  broadside  on  to  us,  and  we  plumped  the  whole  six  into 
her,  one  after  the  other;  then  we  stood  off  again,  for  the  other 


188  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

frigate  had  come  up  and  was  joining  in  the  game.  If  we  had 
had  a  spar  knocked  out  of  us  it  would  have  been  all  up,  for 
they  each  carried  something  like  forty  guns.  As  soon  as  they 
got  pretty  well  out  of  range  I  hauled  my  wind  and  stood  south. 
The  first  frigate  was  still  in  complete  confusion.  With  my 
glass  I  could  make  out  the  men  trying  to  cut  away  the  wreck, 
but  it  was  not  long  before  I  saw  a  thin  wreath  of  smoke  rising 
from  her  forward  hatchway,  and  presently  I  saw  her  ensign 
half  hauled  down  as  a  signal  of  distress  to  her  consort,  which 
at  once  gave  up  the  chase,  which  she  must  have  already  seen 
was  useless,  and  bore  down  to  her.  Thinking  I  had  done 
enough,  and  being  in  such  a  stew  about  you  all,  I  left  them  to 
settle  matters  as  best  they  could  and  began  to  beat  back  to  the 
island.  When  we  were  five  miles  away  a  pillar  of  smoke  was 
rising  from  the  frigate,  and  with  the  glass  I  could  make  out 
boats  passing  backwards  and  forwards  between  her  and  her 
consort,  which  was  lying-to  near  her;  and  the  last  we  could 
make  out  of  her  was  that  she  was  in  flames  from  keel  to  truck." 

"Capital,  Miller,  that  was  splendidly  done !  "  Martyn  ex- 
claimed. "  Fancy  a  schooner  with  ten  men  on  board  destroy- 
ing a  forty-gun  frigate.  That  was  a  capital  idea  of  yours 
of  heating  the  shot." 

"The  cook  is  in  a  great  way,"  Miller  laughed,  "for  we  pretty 
well  melted  the  galley,  and  we  shall  have  to  get  a  fresh  one 
next  time  we  put  into  port.  And  now  tell  me  about  your 
share  of  the  day's  work." 

"Well,  we  have  done  very  well,"  Martyn  said;  "but  you 
have  quite  taken  down  any  conceit  we  may  have  felt.  I  quite 
envy  you." 

"You  need  not  do  that,  Martyn,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said;  "one 
may  be  as  proud  of  saving  five  hundred  lives  as  of  destroying 
a  frigate,  admirable  as  the  action  was.  I  will  tell  you  about 
our  doings.  I  have  no  doubt  Martyn  will  be  too  modest  to 
do  justice  to  himself.  Ah!  what  is  that?"  He  broke  off  as 
he  heard  the  report  of  a  gun,  followed  by  several  others. 

"The   Turks   venting  their  dissatisfaction,"  Martyn  said. 


A   DARING    EXPLOIT  189 

"  I  expected  it  before  this.  Of  course  they  heard  our  cheer, 
but  at  the  distance  they  were  they  may  not  have  made  out  it 
came  from  the  water,  and  I  expect  they  were  some  time  before 
they  crawled  forward  and  found  out  that  our  lines  were  de- 
serted. We  will  fire  a  round  of  grape  over  their  heads  as  a 
hint  to  them  that  they  had  better  clear  off,  and  as  there  is  no 
hope  of  either  plunder  or  blood  they  will  not  care  about  risk- 
ing their  lives  for  nothing.  Will  you  go  up,  Mr.  Tarleton,  and 
just  touch  off  one  of  the  port  guns.  Don't  fire  in  the  direc- 
tion they  are  shooting  from.  We  only  want  to  frighten  and 
not  to  hurt  them." 

In  a  couple  of  minutes  the  vessel  quivered  as  an  eighteen- 
pounder  sent  its  contents  rattling  among  the  rocks.  Tarleton 
soon  rejoined  the  party,  and  Mr.  Beveridge  proceeded  to  relate 
to  Miller  the  events  of  the  day. 

"The  next  time  I  land,  Mr.  Miller,"  he  concluded,  "I  shall 
take  good  care  to  ascertain  tho  nature  of  the  ground  we  have 
to  cross.  I  have  never  been  accustomed  to  active  exercise, 
even  as  a  boy  I  never  cared  for  it;  but  I  could  not  have  be- 
lieved that  human  lungs  could  have  failed  in  their  action  so 
completely,  or  human  heart  bump  as  mine  did  in  going  up 
that  hill.  As  for  the  scramble  along  it  in  the  dark,  it  was  a 
sort  of  nightmare.  Martyn  and  Zaimes  hauled  me  along  like 
a  helpless  bundle.  I  was  only  conscious  of  my  feet  continually 
slipping  from  under  me,  of  grasping  at  the  grass,  of  having 
my  knees  bruised  against  rocks,  and  of  thinking  every  moment 
that  my  coat  collar  must  give  way  and  that  I  must  roll  to  the 
bottom  of  the  hill.  Zaimes  had  hold  of  that,  and  Martyn  of 
my  arm,  and  I  should  say  that  my  flesh  will  be  black  and  blue 
for  weeks.  I  mentally  registered  a  vow  that  though  I  was 
ready  to  fight  for  the  Greeks  I  was  not  ready,  and  never  would 
again  undertake  to  climb  among  mountains  for  them.  There 
is  a  limit  to  the  endurance  of  human  nature,  and  the  limit  was 
very  distinctly  passed  upon  that  occasion.  Moreover,  my 
dignity  as  a  man  suffered.  I  was  humiliated  at  my  own  help- 
lessness, and  was  deeply  impressed  with  the  thought  that  my 


190  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

whole  life  had  been  a  mistake  when  it  resulted  in  my  being 
hauled  along  by  Zaimes,  who  is  a  year  or  two  older  than  I 
am,  I  believe.  I  made  a  resolution  to  practise  athletic  exer- 
cises, but  I  am  afraid  that,  like  many  other  good  resolutions, 
it  will  be  dropped  with  the  memory  of  that  terrible  hour." 

"Where  are  you  thinking  of  landing  all  these  people,  Mr. 
Beveridge?  " 

"  I  have  not  the  least  idea,  Martyn.    Where  do  you  think?  " 

"So  that  we  get  rid  of  them  as  quickly  as  possible,  sir,  it 
doesn't  matter  in  the  slightest.  There  is  one  thing  certain,  it 
will  be  weeks  before  we  shall  get  the  decks  white  again,  and 
I  should  say  that  a  thorough  fumigation  of  her  from  stern  to 
stern  will  be  advisable.  I  don't  suppose  the  British  authori- 
ties would  be  grateful  to  us  if  we  were  to  dump  them  all  down 
in  Zante  or  Corfu,  because  it  is  certain  they  would  have  to 
feed  the  greater  portion  of  them  for  a  considerable  time. 
On  the  other  hand,  if  you  land  them  at  any  Greek  port  there 
is  a  very  strong  risk  of  their  all  dying  of  starvation;  the  new 
government  have  other  things  to  think  about." 

"  It  is  very  awkward,  Captain  Martyn,  very  awkward,"  Mr. 
Beveridge  said  seriously.  "  However,  it  is  evident  that  now 
we  have  rescued  them  they  can't  be  allowed  to  starve." 

"There  is  one  thing,  father,"  Horace  put  in.  "I  think 
that  money  would  be  much  better  laid  out  in  feeding  them 
than  in  enabling  the  politicians  and  the  Klephts  to  spend  it  in 
gaudy  dresses  and  in  keeping  bands  of  armed  ruffians  round 
them." 

"Certainly  it  would,  Horace.  As  to  where  they  had  better 
be  landed,  I  should  say  that  we  might  give  them  their  choice 
of  say  four  or  five  places.  It  would  be  much  better  that  they 
should  be  divided,  as  they  would  in  that  way  be  more  likely 
to  get  employment  than  if  they  were  all  turned  out  at  one 
place.  Some  might  be  landed  at  some  of  the  Greek  islands, 
some  in  the  Morea,  others  at  Athens,  and  some,  perhaps,  in 
the  Ionian  Islands,  where  they  would  be  under  the  British 
flag." 


A    DARING    EXPLOIT  191 

"  I  think  they  would  be  a  deal  better  off  there,  father,  than 
in  Greece  or  the  Greek  islands,  where  at  present  everyone  is 
thinking  of  war,  and  the  fields  are  going  out  of  cultivation. 
They  certainly  would  do  a  great  deal  better  in  Corfu,  Cepha- 
lonia,  and  the  other  islands  than  they  would  elsewhere;  and 
if  they  were  landed  in  small  batches  they  might  find  work.  I 
expect  most  of  them  have  got  a  little  money,  and  as  living  is 
very  cheap,  if  you  were  to  give  them  a  couple  of  pounds  a 
head  it  would  enable  them  to  live  a  long  time  while  they  are 
looking  for  work.  Besides,  there  are  committees  on  those 
islands  for  helping  refugees;  so  I  do  think  it  would  be  better 
to  land  all  those  who  have  no  friends  in  Greece,  or  any  par- 
ticular wish  to  go  there,  in  our  islands.  I  should  say  Zaimes 
and  Marco  might  go  round  among  them  in  the  morning  and 
ask  if  any  of  them  have  friends  in  the  Greek  islands  or  the 
mainland,  and  to  put  it  to  the  others,  that  though  they  can  be 
landed  in  Greece  if  they  like,  they  will  probably  be  better  off 
and  certainly  much  more  free  from  anxiety  and  danger,  in 
the  Ionian  Isles." 

"I  think  that  that  would  be  a  very  good  plan,"  Mr.  Bever- 
idge  said.  "  When  are  you  going  to  get  under  sail  again, 
Captain  Marty n?  " 

"As  soon  as  I  have  finished  this  cup  of  coffee,  Mr.  Bever- 
idge,  we  will  get  a  boat  lowered  and  find  the  buoy  and  pick 
up  the  anchor  Miller  slipped  this  morning.  I  don't  want  to 
lose  that,  and  the  chain.  As  soon  as  we  have  got  it  on  board 
we  will  be  off.  There  is  not  much  breeze  here  after  dark,  but 
we  may  as  well  get  what  benefit  we  can  from  it.  I  have  no 
fear  of  the  other  Turkish  frigate  looking  in  here  on  her  way 
back ;  and  if  she  did,  now  that  we  have  got  all  our  crew  on 
board,  1  have  no  doubt  we  could  give  a  good  account  of  her. 
But  1  want  to  be  under  weigh.  There  will  be  no  comfort  on 
board  till  we  have  got  rid  of  our  passengers.  Whereabout  do 
you  think  the  buoy  is  lying,  Miller?" 

"  1  fancy  we  were  anchored  a  couple  of  hundred  yards  or  so 
farther  out,  and  a  quarter  of  a  mile  astern.     You  know  where 


192  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

you  landed  last  night.  You  had  to  march  along  the  beach 
some  little  distance  before  you  came  to  the  path  on  the  hills." 

"That  is  so,  Miller.  I  am  afraid  we  shall  have  some  little 
trouble  in  finding  it.  However,  we  will  have  a  try.  It  is 
just  eight  bells  now,  and  it  won't  be  light  for  another  six 
hours.     I  don't  want  to  waste  that  time  if  I  can  help  it." 

"  Well,  I  will  take  one  of  the  gigs,  and  Tarleton  can  take 
the  other.  We  will  take  some  blue  lights  with  us,  and  I  ex- 
pect we  shall  soon  find  it." 

"Very  well.  Directly  you  do,  hang  on  to  the  buoy-rope 
and  get  the  end  of  the  chain  into  your  gig.  Hail  me,  and 
send  Tarleton  back.  We  will  get  up  her  anchor  at  once,  and 
the  gig  and  the  long-boat  shall  tow  the  schooner  up  to  you. 
Then  you  can  pass  the  end  of  the  chain  on  board,  and  we  will 
get  it  round  the  capstan  and  have  the  anchor  up  in  no  time. 
Now,  Mr.  Beveridge,  if  you  will  take  my  advice  you  will  turn 
in  at  once.  You  only  got  a  couple  of  hours'  sleep  last  night 
in  that  orchard,  and  have  had  twenty-four  hours'  really  hard 
work." 

"I  will  take  your  advice,  Martyn;  "  and  Mr.  Beveridge 
touched  the  hand-bell  beside  him.  "  Marco,  you  must  help 
me  to  my  cabin,  for  I  am  so  stiff  I  don't  think  I  could  get  out 
of  my  chair  by  myself." 

"We  will  help  you  in,  sir,"  Martyn  said;  and  he  and  Miller 
raised  Mr.  Beveridge  from  his  chair  and  almost  carried  him 
into  his  cabin.     Then  they  lit  their  pipes  and  went  on  deck. 

The  buoy  was  found  after  a  few  minutes'  search,  and  in 
another  ten  minutes  the  schooner  was  under  weigh  and  steal- 
ing out  from  the  land. 

"I  will  take  the  watch,"  Miller  said.  "You  had  better  all 
turn  in.  I  will  put  a  couple  of  the  hands  who  remained  with 
me  at  the  wheel,  and  let  all  the  rest  lie  down.  As  they  will 
be  on  deck  one  can  rouse  them  up  in  a  minute  if  they  are 
wanted." 

The  next  day  the  two  Greeks  went  among  the  fugitives  and 
questioned  the  heads  of  each  family  as  to  the  number  of  their 


A    DARING    EXPLOIT  193 

party,  the  means  they  possessed,  and  whether  they  had  any 
friends  in  Greece.  Most  of  them  possessed  a  little  money, 
the  proceeds  of  their  last  harvest  and  vintage,  and  some  eight 
or  ten  had  sums  varying  from  a  hundred  to  four  hundred 
pounds,  besides  the  jewels  of  their  females,  which,  in  their 
cases,  were  of  considerable  value.  Some  of  the  poorer  ones 
had  literally  nothing  beyond  the  clothes  in  which  they  stood 
and  a  few  almost  worthless  trinkets.  There  were  not  half  a 
dozen  of  the  whole  number  who  had  friends  or  connections  in 
Greece.  Some  thirty  of  the  unmarried  men  expressed  their 
desire  to  join  the  Greek  army  and  fight  against  the  Turks; 
the  rest  thankfully  embraced  the  offer  of  being  landed  on 
islands  under  the  protection  of  the  British  flag.  It  took  a 
whole  day  to  ascertain  all  these  particulars,  and  on  the  fol- 
lowing day  the  exiles  were  asked  to  divide  themselves  into  par- 
ties according  to  the  villages  from  which  they  came,  in  order 
that  acquaintances  and  relations  should  be  landed  together. 

When  this  had  been  done,  Zaimes  distributed,  in  the  name 
of  Mr.  Beveridge,  to  the  head  of  each  family  a  sum  amount- 
ing to  two  pounds  for  each  of  its  members,  except  to  those 
whose  resources  were  sufficient  to  maintain  them  for  a  con- 
siderable time. 

The  wind  was  very  light,  and  it  was  six  days  after  they 
weighed  anchor  before  they  entered  the  port  of  Zante.  Another 
week  was  spent  in  landing  the  fugitives  among  the  Ionian 
Islands,  each  party  being  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the 
island  and  the  facilities  of  obtaining  employment  there.  The 
gratitude  of  the  poor  people  to  Mr.  Beveridge,  and  indeed  to 
all  on  board  the  schooner,  was  very  great,  but  they  were  all 
much  depressed  on  landing.  At  first  their  delight  at  having 
escaped  with  their  lives  was  unbounded.  But  as  the  days 
went  on,  and  the  feeling  that  they  had  lost  all  else,  were  sepa- 
rated for  ever  from  their  birthplace  and  home,  and  were  in 
future  to  live  among  strangers,  overwhelmed  them. 

Mr.  Beveridge  went  a  great  deal  among  them,  and  endeav- 
oured to  cheer  them  with  the  assurance  that  the  war  could  not 


194  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

last  very  long,  and  that  at  its  termination,  whenever  that  might 
be,  there  would  certainly  be  a  general  amnesty,  and  that  all 
fugitives  would  then  be  permitted  to  return  to  their  homes. 
He  therefore  advised  them  to  keep  this  always  in  mind,  and 
to  lay  by  every  penny  they  could  spare  of  their  earnings, 
so  that  they  would  eventually  be  able  to  return  to  Cyprus  and 
resume  their  former  life.  When  the  Misericordia  left  Cyprus 
there  remained  onboard  only  some  half  a  dozen  families  who 
had  friends  in  Creece,  and  the  young  men  who  intended  to 
join  the  Greek  army.  Never  did  a  vessel  undergo  a  more 
thorough  washing  and  cleaning  up  than  the  schooner  on  her 
voyage  round  to  Athens.  The  deck  was  scrubbed  and  holy- 
stoned twice  a  day;  the  lower  deck  was  equally  cleaned,  and, 
in  addition,  the  woodwork  received  two  coats  of  fresh  paint, 
after  having  been  thoroughly  fumigated. 

"The  Greeks  may  have  their  virtues,"  Martyn  remarked  to 
Miller,  "but  cleanliness  on  board  ship  is  marked  by  its 
absence." 

"Then  is  no  doubt  about  that,"  Miller  agreed.  "I  have 
always  heard  that  a  cargo  of  Mohammedan  pilgrims  to  Mecca 
was  about  the  most  painful  experience  a  sailor  could  have; 
but  I  back  the  Greeks  against  them.  I  don't  think  the 
schooner  herself  liked  it.  She  seemed  to  have  lost  all  her 
liveliness  and  to  be  depressed  at  being  turned  into  a  human 
pig-stye.  I  don't  believe  it  was  worse  between  decks  when 
she  had  a  cargo  of  slaves  on  board." 

"Mr.  Beveridge  has  just  told  me,"  Martyn  said,  "that  I  am 
to  tell  the  crew  that  at  the  next  pay  he  shall  give  three  pounds 
a  head  to  each  man  as  a  reward  for  their  work  at  Cyprus  and 
the  inconveniences  they  have  been  since  put  to." 

"They  will  appreciate  that,"  Miller  said.  "They  certainly 
have  been  put  about  a  good  deal,  and  they  will  be  pleased  at 
the  recognition  of  it  as  much  as  with  the  money.  Besides, 
the  same  thing  may  happen  again,  and  it  is  a  good  thing  to 
keep  them  all  in  a  good  humour,  especially  as  at  present  there 
hasn't  been  any  chance  whatever  of  prize-money." 


A   DARING   EXPLOIT  195 

"What  are  the  next  orders,  sir?  "  Martyn  asked  Mr.  Bever- 
idge  when  they  had  finished  supper. 

"There  will  be  nothing  particular  going  on  for  some  time, 
I  should  imagine,  Captain  Martyn.  The  Turkish  army  does 
not  seem  to  be  ready  to  advance,  and  the  Greeks  are  not 
troubling  themselves  to  get  up  an  army  at  all.  After  the  last 
affair  every  man  made  off  with  the  booty  he  had  gathered  to 
his  own  village;  and  there,  I  am  afraid,  they  are  all  likely  to 
stay  till  a  Turkish  army  invades  them.  Athens  and  Nauplia 
may  hold  out  for  some  time  longer — for  weeks,  perhaps,  pos- 
sibly for  months.  Therefore,  for  the  present  I  leave  it 
entirely  with  you  to  cruise  where  you  think  best." 

"Then,  sir,  we  will  go  south.  Since  we  have  come  out  we 
have  not  taken  a  prize  worth  having;  and  I  think  that  as 
prize-money  was  certainly  one  of  the  inducements  held  out  to 
the  sailors  when  they  joined,  we  might  as  well  try  to  pick  up 
a  few  Turkish  merchantmen.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the 
ships  from  Smyrna  and  all  the  Syrian  ports,  as  well  as  from 
the  islands,  keep  near  land,  and  that  even  those  bound  for 
Alexandria  and  the  African  ports  coast  round  there  also. 
Some  of  these  no  doubt  carry  rich  cargoes,  and  many  will  be 
taking  Greek  slaves  to  Alexandria  and  Tunis;  so  we  shall  be 
carrying  oat  your  object  by  releasing  them,  as  well  as  picking 
up  soms  prize-money.  I  think  the  men  well  deserve  a  little 
indulgence  in  this  way.  Their  work  has  not  been  altogether 
pleasant  for  some  time.  They  have  been  turned  out  of  their 
quarters,  and  have  had  to  sleep  under  the  awning  forward.  I 
have  heard  no  grumbling  among  them,  for  I  am  sure  they 
were  glad  to  do  all  they  could  to  help  the  poor  creatures  we 
have  hid  on  board.  Still,  they  will  be  glad  of  a  chance  of 
what  they  would  consider  legitimate  business." 

"Very  well,  Captain  Martyn,  let  it  be  so.  I  quite  agree 
with  you  as  to  the  excellent  conduct  of  the  men.  They  have 
certainly  had  a  good  deal  of  hardship  to  put  up  with,  for  every- 
thing has  been  very  uncomfortable  since  our  visit  to  Cyprus." 

In  a  few  minutes  the  boatswain's  whistle  was  heard,  followed 


196  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

by  the  tramp  of  the  men  round  the  capstan  and  the  stir  of 
getting  up  sail.  Then  the  watch  was  set,  and  the  schooner 
sped  along  under  a  gentle  breeze  towards  the  south. 

For  the  next  two  months  the  Misericordia  cruised  on  the 
coast  of  Syria.  Scarce  a  day  passed  without  some  vessel 
being  overhauled.  Many  of  these  were  small  coasters  laden 
only  with  grain  or  other  cargoes  of  small  value.  These  were 
permitted  to  proceed  on  their  way  without  interference.  Of 
the  larger  vessels  some  contained  mixed  cargoes.  In  the 
cases  where  no  Greek  captives  were  on  board,  the  valuable 
portion  of  the  cargo  was  transferred  to  the  schooner,  and  the 
ship  was  then  permitted  to  proceed  on  her  voyage.  Where 
Greek  slaves  were  found  on  board,  the  'captain  was  given  the 
choice  of  having  the  vessel  burned,  or  giving  a  bond  for  an 
amount  equal  to  half  her  estimated  value  and  that  of  the  cargo, 
signed  by  himself,  the  representative  of  the  owners,  if  there 
was  one  on  board,  and  the  principal  passengers. 

These  bonds  could  not,  perhaps,  have  been  enforced  in  any 
court;  but  Mr.  Beveridge  had  confidence  in  the  honesty  of 
the  Turks,  and  in  every  case  the  amounts  were  duly  forwarded 
to  the  agents  he  named.  Seven  ships  contained  valuable 
cargoes  of  silks,  tobacco,  and  wine.  These  were  all  bound 
for  Alexandria  and  Tunis,  and  carried  a  considerable  number 
of  Greek  women  and  children,  the  survivors  of  massacres  in 
towns  in  Asia  Minor.  In  these  cases  the  Turks  were  all  placed 
in  their  boats  within  two  or  three  miles  of  land,  and  the  vessels 
with  prize  crews  on  board  were  consigned  to  Greeks  at  Corinth 
and  Athens,  who  had  undertaken  to  act  as  Mr.  Beveridge 's 
agents,  and  who  were  to  dispose  of  them  and  their  cargoes  to 
Greek  merchants. 


IN  THE  HANDS  OF  THE  TURKS  197 

CHAPTER  XI 

IN  THE  HANDS  OF  THE  TURKS 

TOWARDS  the  end  of  the  cruise  the  schooner  had  just 
returned  to  the  coast  of  Asia  Minor  after  having  run  across 
to  Athens  and  taken  on  board  the  officers  and  men  who  had 
sailed  the  last  prizes  taken  there.  On  the  day  after  they  took 
up  their  place  on  their  cruising  ground  they  fell  in  with  a 
large  polacca  brig.  The  vessel  mounted  ten  small  guns,  and 
fought  with  some  obstinacy,  and  it  was  not  until  Martyn 
placed  the  schooner  so  that  she  could  rake  the  brig's  decks, 
which  were  crowded  with  men,  that  she  hauled  down  her  flag. 

"  Lower  two  boats,  Miller.  You  take  charge  of  one  and 
Tarleton  the  other.  By  the  look  of  those  fellows  I  don't 
believe  they  are  Turks  at  all.  I  believe  they  are  from  Algiers 
or  Tunis;  pirates  at  ordinary  times,  but  who  have  come  here 
to  pick  up  slaves  cheap.  They  are  treacherous  beggars,  so  be 
on  your  guard.  There  is  a  very  strong  crew.  Don't  row 
alongside  till  I  lay  the  schooner  broadside  on." 

In  five  minutes  Miller  hailed  from  the  deck  of  the  prize, 
"You  are  right,  sir,  they  are  Algerines,  and  as  cut-throat  a 
looking  lot  as  ever  I  came  across.  She  is  crowded  below  with 
Greek  women  and  girls,  and  as  far  as  I  can  see  at  present  she 
has  no  cargo  of  any  sort.  I  have  sent  one  of  the  boats  for 
Marco.  He  can  speak  to  the  women,  who  are  making  a  fear- 
ful hubbub  down  below." 

"Have  you  disarmed  the  crew,  Mr.  Miller?" 

"  Mr.  Tarleton  has  just  finished  that.  We  have  had  to  knock 
a  good  many  of  the  scoundrels  down.  They  are  as  savage  as 
wildcats." 

The  schooner  was  brought  alongside  rhe  polacca  and  lashed 
there.  The  deck  of  the  prize  showed  that  the  fire  of  the 
schooner  had  been  terribly  destructive.  Over  twenty  bodies 
lay  scattered  about,  principally  round  the  guns. 


198  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

"  Are  they  all  dead  ?  "  Martyn  asked  as  he  stepped  on  board. 

"They  are  all  dead  now,  but  they  were  not  when  we 
boarded  her.  But  as  they  lay  there  they  fired  their  pistols 
among  us.  Two  or  three  pretended  to  be  dead,  and  then 
sprang  up,  knife  in  hand,  and  several  of  the  men  have  got 
nasty  cuts;  so  that  was  soon  put  a  stop  to.  Some  of  the  fel- 
lows below  made  quite  a  fight  of  it,  and  the  men  had  to  use 
their  cutlasses  pretty  freely.  However,  they  are  all  disarmed 
and  bound  now.  I  have  no  doubt  they  are  Algerine  pirates, 
and  deserve  to  be  hung  to  the  yard-arm  every  man-jack  of 
them." 

"Have  you  overhauled  the  hold  yet?  " 

"Yes,  sir.  It  is  filled  with  these  unhappy  slaves.  She  evi- 
dently came  merely  in  ballast,  with  money  to  buy  them." 

"  Well,  no  doubt  these  fellows  have  been  pirates,  Mr.  Miller, 
but  as  we  have  no  means  to  prove  it  we  must  let  them  go  as 
we  have  the  others,  though  it  is  a  nuisance,  for  they  only  warn 
the  people  at  the  ports  against  us.  We  won't  put  them  on 
the  mainland  this  time,  but  land  them  on  one  of  the  little 
islands.  They  may  be  some  time  in  getting  a  craft  to  take 
them  to  the  mainland,  and  then  they  will  find  it  rough  work 
making  along  the  coast.  However,  we  can  settle  upon  that 
later.  The  first  thing  to  do  is  to  get  the  decks  roughly 
cleaned  and  the  dead  bodies  thrown  overboard." 

A  dozen  men  were  set  to  work  with  mops  and  buckets, 
while  others  fastened  shot  to  the  feet  of  the  Algerines  and 
dropped  them  overboard.  As  soon  as  this  was  done  Marco 
was  sent  below  to  tell  the  captives  that  they  could  come  on 
deck. 

As  the  women  poured  up,  looking  almost  dazed  at  their 
sudden  release,  and  at  the  bright  sunlight  after  the  stifling 
atmosphere  of  the  dark  hold  in  which  they  had  been  confined 
for  six  days,  Horace  saw  one  of  them,  a  woman  of  some  five- 
and-thirty  years  of  age,  to  whose  side  a  girl  of  fifteen  was 
clinging,  looking  round  with  an  air  of  excitement,  in  strong 
contrast  to  the  comparative  apathy  of  the  others.      She  glanced 


THE    GREEK    CAPTIVES    ARE    BROUGHT    <>N    DECK 


IN  THE  HANDS  OF  THE  TURKS  199 

round  at  him  and  the  men  engaged  in  tidying  up  the  deck, 
and  then  with  a  cry  sank  fainting  on  the  deck.  He  hurried 
up  to  her,  and  partly  raised  her,  when  he  was  struck  by  the 
cry  of  the  girl,  "Oh,  mother,  mother!  "  He  looked  at  her  in 
astonishment. 

"Are  you  English?"  he  exclaimed. 

"Yes,"  she  cried,  "we  are  English;  but  we  have  been 
seized  and  carried  away  by  these  horrid  Turks.  Mother  said 
she  fancied  she  heard  some  shouts  in  English,  but  she  thought 
she  must  have  been  mistaken,  as  only  a  Greek  came  down 
and  spoke  to  us  in  the  hold,  and  she  did  not  think  it  possible 
that  it  could  be  English.  And  have  you  rescued  us  out  of  the 
hands  of  the  Turks,  sir?  Mother  said  they  were  taking  us 
away  to  sell  us  as  slaves." 

"Yes,  we  have  rescued  you,"  Horace  said.  "You  are  free 
now.  If  you  will  hold  your  mother's  head  for  a  moment  I 
will  fetch  the  doctor;  we  have  one  on  board." 

"  If  you  would  get  a  little  water,  sir,  she  will  soon  come 
round.  She  has  fainted  several  times  since  we  were  capt- 
ured." 

Horace,  however,  caught  sight  of  Macfarlane. 

"  Doctor,  here  is  an  English  lady  among  the  captives.  She 
has  fainted.  Please  see  to  her.  I  will  run  to  get  some  water;  " 
and  he  sprang  over  the  bulwark  on  to  the  deck  of  the  schooner. 

"Bring  some  brandy  with  you  too,"  Macfarlane  said  as  he 
hurried  to  the  side  of  the  fainting  woman. 

Horace  rushed  down  to  the  cabin,  and  returned  with  a  jug 
of  water,  a  decanter  of  brandy,  and  a  tumbler.  The  doctor 
sprinkled  some  water  on  the  lady's  face,  poured  a  few  drops 
of  spirits  between  her  lips,  and  in  a  minute  or  two  she  opened 
her  eyes. 

"It  is  all  right  now,  madam,"  he  said  as  she  looked  round 
in  a  confused  way.  "You  are  safe  among  friends  and  British 
sailors." 

"Thank  God  for  His  mercies!  "  she  murmured,  while  tears 
fell  down  her  cheeks.  "It  seems  almost  too  great  happiness 
to  be  true." 


200  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

In  a  few  minutes  she  was  well  enough  to  be  assisted  down 
to  the  cabin  of  the  schooner,  where  she  was  left  to  the  care 
of  her  daughter  for  a  time.  Half  an  hour  later  she  was  able 
to  relate  her  story  to  Mr.  Beveridge.  She  was,  she  said,  the 
wife  of  an  English  merchant  at  Smyrna.  They  lived  a  short 
distance  out  of  the  town,  and  had,  since  the  troubles  began, 
gone  but  little  abroad,  for  although  it  was  only  the  Greeks 
who  had  been  involved  in  the  massacre  that  had  taken  place 
there  some  months  before,  there  was  a  good  deal  of  hostility 
upon  the  part  of  the  lower  class  of  the  population  against  all 
Christians.  One  evening  she  had  been  with  her  daughter  in 
the  garden,  her  husband  being  engaged  till  late  at  his  business 
in  the  town.  It  was  just  getting  dark,  and  she  was  about  to 
re-enter  the  house,  when  five  or  six  ruffians  of  the  lowest 
class  rushed  into  the  garden,  seized  her  and  her  daughter  in 
spite  of  their  shrieks,  threw  thick  cloths  over  their  heads,  and 
then  carried  them  away.  They  were  taken  for  some  distance, 
when  they  stopped,  and  she  heard  an  animated  conversation 
and  the  clink  of  money.  Then  they  were  placed  in  a  boat,  and 
presently  carried  up  on  to  the  deck  of  a  ship  and  taken  below. 

When  their  mufflings  were  removed  they  found  they  were  in 
the  hold  of  a  vessel  with  a  large  number  of  Greek  captives. 
She  endeavoured  in  vain  to  make  herself  understood  by  the 
sailors  who  came  below,  and  who,  she  perceived  at  once,  were 
not  Turks.  She  told  them  that  she  was  English,  and  that  her 
husband  would  pay  a  large  sum  if  she  and  her  daughter  were 
set  on  shore  unharmed.  No  attention  was  paid  to  her  entrea- 
ties, but  on  her  persisting  she  was  brutally  knocked  down,  and 
in  a  short  time  a  man,  who  was  evidently  an  officer,  came 
down  and  forced  them  both  to  take  off  their  European  dresses 
and  put  on  others  that  some  of  the  Greek  women  were  ordered 
to  hand  over  to  them.  It  was  now  evident  to  her  that  they 
had  been  seized  by  some  of  the  ruffians  of  the  town  and  sold 
to  the  Algerines,  who  were  in  no  way  particular  as  to  the 
nationality  of  their  slaves,  and  that  they  were  destined  to  be 
sold  in  the  slave-market  of  either  Tunis  or  Algiers. 


IN  THE  HAXBS  OF  THE  TURKS  201 

A  few  hours  after  they  were  taken  on  board  they  heard  the 
anchor  run  up,  and  could  soon  tell  by  the  ripple  of  the  water 
against  the  planks  that  they  were  under  weigh.  All  hope  now 
left  them,  and  they  had  passed  a  terrible  six  days,  overcome 
by  despair,  and  half  suffocated  by  the  foul  air  of  the  hold. 
Hope  had  again  sprung  up  when  a  gun  was  fired  overhead, 
and  it  was  soon  evident  that  the  vessel  was  engaged  in  an 
encounter  with  an  enemy.  At  last  the  firing  ceased,  then 
there  was  a  sound  of  shouting  and  the  clashing  of  swords  on 
the  deck  above  their  heads.  Presently  the  hatchways  had 
been  opened  and  a  Greek  had  come  down  and  told  them  that 
the  vessel  had  been  captured  from  the  Turks,  and  that  they 
were  free.  She  fancied  that  she  heard  English  voices,  but 
until  she  had  reached  the  deck  and  saw  the  faces  and  uni- 
forms of  the  sailors,  she  thought  that  she  must  be  mistaken. 
After  that  she  remembered  no  more  until  she  heard  the  doctor's 
voice. 

"I  am  rejoiced  indeed  that  I  have  been  enabled  to  save 
you  and  your  daughter  from  the  horrors  of  slavery,"  Mr. 
Beveridge  said.  "  We  have  had  the  pleasure  of  rescuing  many 
hundreds  of  Greek  women  and  children  from  the  hands  of  the 
Turks,  but  I  never  expected  to  find  a  countrywoman  among 
them.  This  cabin  will  be  at  your  disposal,  except  that  we 
must,  I  fear,  take  our  meals  here.  The  cabin  adjoining  will 
be  wholly  yours.  In  the  course  of  a  week  I  hope  to  land  you 
at  Corfu,  thence  you  will  be  able  to  write  to  your  husband  and 
arrange  either  for  joining  him  again  at  Smyrna,  or  taking  a 
passage  for  England,  which  would,  I  should  think  in  the  pres- 
ent state  of  things,  be  the  wisest  course.  My  purse  will  be 
entirely  at  your  disposal.  I  am  the  owner  of  this  schooner, 
which  is  called  the  Misericordia,  and  although  we  fight  under 
the  Greek  flag,  and  have  come  out  to  assist  them  to  obtain 
their  independence,  we  are  principally  devoting  ourselves  to 
saving  the  unhappy  victims  of  this  war." 

The  lady,  whose  name  was  Mrs.  Herbert,  expressed  her  deep 
gratitude,  and  Mr.  Beveridge  at  once  took  possession  of  Mil- 


202  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

ler's  cabin,  as  the  lieutenant  would,  he  had  no  doubt,  remain 
in  charge  of  the  prize.  When  the  capture  was  made,  the 
schooner  was  some  eighty  miles  to  the  east  of  Rhodes,  and 
after  talking  the  matter  over  with  Miller,  Martyn  decided  to 
land  the  Algerines  on  Caxo,  an  islet  lying  some  fifty  miles  to 
the  south-west  of  Rhodes.  Miller  and  Tarleton  were  for  the 
present  to  continue  on  board  the  prize.  The  prisoners,  forty- 
eight  in  number,  were  transferred  into  the  schooner.  The  next 
evening  they  arrived  off  Caxo,  where  the  Algerines  were  landed 
in  boats.      Martyn  then  went  on  board  the  polacca. 

"I  have  been  thinking,  Miller,  that  as  we  seem  to  have 
frightened  all  the  Turks  into  remaining  in  port  for  the  pres- 
ent, I  will  leave  you  and  Tarleton  on  board  the  polacca,  and 
give  you  twenty  men  and  let  you  cruise  on  your  own  account, 
while  we  take  these  women  and  children  round  to  the  Ionian 
Isles.  We  will  shift  two  of  the  eighteen-pounders  on  board 
this  craft.  No  one  will  suspect  you,  and  you  will  have  a  good 
chance  of  picking  up  some  more  prizes,  while  the  sight  of  our 
white  sails  sends  everything  running  into  port  as  far  off  as  they 
can  be  seen.    We  can  rendezvous  here  again  this  day  fortnight. " 

"I  should  like  that  very  much,"  Miller  said,  "and  I  think 
it  is  a  capital  plan.  I  must  ask  Mr.  Beveridge  to  let  me  have 
Marco,  or  I  shall  have  no  means  of  making  myself  understood 
either  by  Turk  or  Greek." 

A  fortnight  later  the  schooner  returned  to  the  island.  She 
had  had  rough  weather  for  the  last  three  days  of  her  voyage, 
but  the  sky  had  now  cleared  again. 

"There  is  the  island,"  Martyn  said,  as  Horace  came  up  at 
six  o'clock  in  the  morning  to  take  charge  of  the  watch,  for  he 
had  now  command  of  the  starboard  watch,  and  Tom  Burdett 
had  the  port.  "There  is  the  island,  but  there  is  no  sign  of  the 
polacca  yet.  I  wonder  Miller  is  not  here  first.  If  we  had 
been  having  calms  I  should  not  have  been  the  least  surprised 
at  his  not  turning  up,  but  with  this  strong  southerly  wind 
there  is  no  reason  why  he  should  not  have  been  here.  Go  up 
to  the  main-top,  Horace,  and  take  a  look  round." 


IN  THE  HANDS  OF  THE  TURKS  203 

But  Horace  could  see  no  sail  in  sight. 

"You  are  not  uneasy  about  Miller  surely,"  Mr.  Beveridge 
said  at  breakfast,  seeing  that  Martyn  was  not  in  his  usual 
spirits. 

"Well,  I  am  rather  uneasy,  sir.  Miller  would  be  more 
likely  to  be  a  day  too  soon  than  too  late,  and  with  the  wind 
from  the  south  he  could  have  calculated  his  time  here  from 
wherever  he  happened  to  be,  within  an  hour  or  two.  The 
wind  has  been  strong  with  us,  and  for  aught  I  know  it  may 
have  been  blowing  a  gale  more  to  the  east.  We  don't  know 
much  about  the  sailing  qualities  of  the  polacca,  certainly  she 
was  very  light  in  ballast,  and  if  she  has  been  caught  off  a  lee 
shore  in  a  heavy  gale  she  may  not  have  been  able  to  claw  off, 
especially  if  she  happened  to  be  embayed  when  it  came  on. 
Of  course  we  must  give  him  twenty-four  hours  more,  but  if  he 
does  not  come  then  we  will  shape  our  course  north-east  and 
cruise  along  the  coast:  as  we  get  eastward  we  may  pick  up 
some  fishing  craft  or  small  coaster  and  hear  what  the  weather 
has  been  there,  possibly  even  get  news  of  the  polacca.  If 
Miller  gets  here  after  we  have  left,  he  will  guess  what  course 
we  have  taken.  Very  likely  he  will  land  a  boat  and  learn 
that  we  have  been  here,  and  the  course  we  took  when  we  sailed 
away,  and  would  then  be  guided  by  circumstances.  At  any 
rate,  if  nothing  has  happened  to  him,  we  are  sure  to  meet 
sooner  or  later." 

"  Do  just  as  you  think  best,  Captain  Martyn.  I  most  sin- 
cerely trust  that  there  are  no  grounds  for  your  uneasiness. 
Hitherto  everything  has  gone  well  with  us,  and  it  would  be 
terrible  indeed  if  anything  should  have  happened  to  our  two 
friends  and  so  many  of  our  brave  fellows." 

The  day  passed  slowly.  A  look-out  was  kept  in  the  top, 
but  until  the  sun  went  down  no  sail  was  seen  above  the  hori- 
zon. The  crew  shared  the  anxiety  of  their  captain,  and 
gathering  in  groups,  discussed  what  could  have  occurred  to 
prevent  their  consort  arriving  at  the  rendezvous. 

"I  don"t  believe  as  the  Turks  have  caught  them,"  one  of 


204  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

the  sailors  said.  "You  won't  never  gammon  me  into  taking 
in  such  a  yarn  as  that.  I  don't  believe  as  there  is  a  Turk 
living  would  get  the  weather  gauge  of  Lieutenant  Miller.  As 
to  tempests,  that  is  different.  We  don't  care  for  tempests 
one  way  or  the  other  on  board  the  schooner,  but  then  she  is 
a  craft  such  as  you  don't  see  twice  in  a  v'yage  round  the 
world.  If  they  had  been  in  her  I  shouldn't  have  felt  noways 
uneasy;  but  seeing  as  how  they  are  in  a  outlandish  brig  whose 
ways  they  don't  understand,  it  may  be  that  if  they  was  caught 
off  a  lee  shore  by  a  heavy  gale,  even  the  first  lieutenant  with 
our  men  at  his  back  couldn't  get  her  out  of  the  mess." 

"I  said  all  along,"  another  sailor  put  in,  shaking  his  head, 
"as  there  was  bad  luck  coming.  Three  days  ago  I  dreamed 
of  a  black  cat,  and  everyone  as  knows  anything  knows  as  there 
ain't  nothin'  more  unlucky  to  dream  about  than  a  black  cat." 

"Surely,  Bill,"  another  said,  shaking  his  head  gravely. 

"Well,  mates,  it  is  my  opinion,"  Tom  Burdett  said  gruffly, 
"as  there  is  something  in  dreams,  but  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten 
it  is  something  as  has  gone  afore  and  not  what  comes  after. 
I  know  once  when  I  came  back  from  a  v'yage  I  had  written  a 
letter  to  tell  my  old  woman  what  time  I  should  arrive.  I 
reckoned  to  be  in  to  dinner.  Well,  the  coach  broke  down 
and  I  did  not  get  in  till  nine  o'clock.  The  old  woman  had 
made  a  plum-duff  pretty  nigh  as  big  as  my  head,  knowing  as 
I  was  fond  of  it,  and  she  was  in  such  a  taking  at  my  not  hav- 
ing been  in  to  eat  it  at  dinner  that  I  sat  down  and  I  finished 
that  there  pudding  cold  for  supper.  Well,  I  dreamt  of  about 
ten  million  black  cats  and  about  as  many  sharks  mixed  up 
together,  but  if  you  will  believe  me  nothing  came  of  it;  and 
ever  since  that  I  have  held  to  the  opinion  that  when  you  have 
a  bad  dream,  what  you  have  got  to  think  about  when  you  wake 
ain't  what  it  means  in  the  future,  but  what  you  have  been 
having  for  supper. 

"Now,  I  expect  if  Bill  there  was  to  turn  his  mind  back  he 
would  remember  that  the  night  as  he  had  that  dream,  he  had 
been  filling  hisself  up  with  fruit  or  such  like  trash  afore  he 


IN  THE  HANDS  OF  THE  TURKS  205 

turned  in.  I  don't  say  as  nothing  has  happened  to  Lieutenant 
Miller  and  our  mates,  but  I  am  cocksure  as  that  black  cat  Bill 
said  he  dreamt  on  hadn't  nothing  to  do  with  it  either  way. 
Why,  bless  me,  in  my  village  there  is  hundreds  of  women  as 
thinks  of  nothing  but  dreams  and  tokens.  It  is  no  matter 
what  you  dream  of,  they  have  got  a  'terpretation  of  it,  and  if 
the  'terpretation  happens  to  be  a  bad  one  they  bother  their 
husbands  and  brothers  and  sons,  as  the  case  may  be,  not  to 
put  to  sea,  and  there  is  many  a  good  fisherman  whose  cup- 
board is  bare  half  the  year,  through  listening  to  them.  I  may 
have  my  ideas  as  to  whether  harm  are  come  to  that  polacca  or 
not,  but  if  every  seaman  on  board  the  ship  was  to  dream  of  a 
black  tom-cat  and  his  wife  and  family,  it  wouldn't  make  not 
so  much  as  a  shade  of  difference,  in  my  opinion." 

Martyn  did  not  wait  for  daylight,  but  when  the  middle 
watch  was  relieved  sail  was  made,  and  the  schooner  bore  away 
to  the  north-east.  Land  was  sighted  about  four  o'clock,  and 
by  nightfall  they  were  coasting  along  at  the  distance  of  about 
a  mile.  When  it  became  dark  they  stood  on  and  off  the  shore, 
as  Martyn  wished  to  examine  every  inlet  and  bay  as  they  went 
on.  As  soon  as  it  was  daylight  the  schooner  proceeded  on 
her  way.  The  sails  of  several  craft  were  made  out  seaward 
during  the  course  of  the  day,  but  none  of  these  resembled  the 
canvas  of  the  polacca,  and  attention  was  concentrated  upon 
the  shore,  every  rock  being  closely  scanned  with  glasses,  and 
a  sharp  look-out  kept  for  signals  of  any  kind. 

In  the  evening  a  small  fishing-boat  was  overhauled  as  it 
made  its  way  into  a  village.  The  fishermen  were  interrogated 
by  Zaimes,  who  understood  a  little  Turkish.  They  had  seen 
nothing  of  any  craft  answering  to  a  description  of  the  polacca. 
Interrogated  about  the  weather,  they  replied  that  the  storm 
four  days  before  had  been  an  exceptionally  severe  one,  com- 
ing on  very  suddenly  and  blowing  with  tremendous  force  for 
some  hours. 

The  next  morning  they  were  at  the  mouth  of  the  Gulf  oi 
Adalia. 


206  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

"If  Miller  has  gone  to  grief  anywhere,"  Martyn  said  to 
Horace,  "it  is  as  likely  as  not  to  be  somewhere  in  this  bay. 
He  might  very  well  have  been  cruising  about  in  here  to  pick  up 
anything  coming  out  of  Adalia,  which  is  the  principal  port 
along  this  part  of  the  coast.  It  is  a  large  bay,  you  see,  and 
if  he  happened  to  be  well  up  it  when  he  was  caught  in  that 
sudden  gale  it  is  probable  enough  that  he  would  not  be  able 
to  beat  out  in  that  craft.  I  see  on  the  map  there  are  three 
or  four  small  towns  between  this  cape  and  Adalia.  I  don't 
want  to  show  ourselves  inside  the  cape,  for  the  probability  is 
the  schooner  would  be  recognized  directly.  What  I  think 
will  be  the  best  plan  would  be  for  you  and  Zaimes  to  take  one 
of  the  boats  and  coast  along  close  in  to  the  cape.  There  is  a 
place  called  Grambusa  a  mile  or  two  around  the  corner,  and 
another  place  called  Yanar  a  little  farther  on.  I  want  you 
either  to  board  a  fishing-boat  and  find  out  whether  they  have 
news  of  a  wreck  between  this  and  Adalia,  or  have  heard  of 
any  Greek  or  European  prisoners  being  brought  there  from 
farther  east.  If  you  can't  succeed  in  getting  hold  of  a  fish- 
ing-boat, Zaimes  might  land  and  try  to  pick  up  the  news  at 
some  cottage  in  the  outskirts  of  the  village.  There  are  Greeks 
in  all  these  sea-side  villages,  for  most  of  the  fishing  is  in  their 
hands,  and  though  in  the  towns  there  were  massacres  I  don't 
suppose  they  would  be  disturbed  in  quiet  villages  where  they 
had  been  settled  for  generations." 

Zaimes  was  summoned,  and  agreed  at  once  to  land,  as  both 
Martyn  and  Horace  were  of  opinion  that  there  was  more  prob- 
ability of  their  getting  trustworthy  information  that  way  than 
from  fishermen,  who  would  be  scared  at  finding  their  boat 
suddenly  overhauled.  Accordingly,  taking  a  gig  with  six  men 
Horace  and  Zaimes  started  for  the  shore,  while  the  schooner 
turned  her  head  west. 

"I  shall  cruise  backward  and  forward,"  Martyn  said.  "I 
sha'n't  go  more  than  four  miles  from  the  cape;  so  when  you 
come  out  again  you  will  only  have  to  lie  on  your  oars  till  I 
come  back  for  you." 


IN  THE  HANDS  OF  THE  TURKS  207 

They  rowed  direct  to  shore,  crept  along  close  to  it  till  they 
saw  the  village  half  a  mile  ahead,  and  then  rowed  in  and 
landed  Zaimes.  He  was  absent  an  hour,  and  his  walk  assured 
Horace  that  he  had  bad  news  even  before  he  reached  the  side 
of  the  boat. 

"I  am  afraid  you  have  bad  news,  Zaimes." 

Zaimes  shook  his  head.  "Very  bad:  it  could  hardly  be 
worse.  There  are  several  Christians  in  the  village,  and  I 
learned  from  them  that  four  days  ago  a  brig  that  was  caught 
in  the  storm  was  driven  ashore  close  to  Adalia.  It  was  found 
that  she  was  a  Turkish  vessel  which  had  been  captured  by 
pirates.  The  people  would  have  torn  them  to  pieces,  but  the 
pasha,  who  had  come  down  to  the  shore  with  a  body  of  troops 
to  try  and  save  those  on  board  the  ship  when  she  was  seen  to 
be  driving  ashore,  protected  them  from  the  mob  and  lodged 
them  in  prison.  They  say  that  he  has  sent  off  to  Smyrna, 
where  the  governor  of  Anatolia  resides,  to  ask  for  instructions, 
and  it  is  expected  that  orders  will  come  for  their  execution  in 
a  day  or  two." 

"Stretch  to  your  oars,  men,"  Horace  said.  "The  others 
have  been  wrecked  and  captured  by  the  Turks,  and  the  sooner 
we  are  on  board  with  the  news  the  better." 

The  men  bent  to  their  oars  and  made  the  boat  fly  through 
the  water,  and  when  they  rounded  Cape  Khelidonia  they  saw 
the  schooner  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away  in  the  act  of  going  about. 
They  were  seen  almost  as  soon  as  they  caught  sight  of  her,  and 
she  remained  thrown  up  in  the  wind  until  they  got  alongside. 
Martyn  and  Mr.  Beveridge  were  both  on  deck,  and  as  soon  as 
Zaimes  had  told  his  story  they  went  down  into  the  cabin  for 
a  consultation. 

"What  on  earth  is  to  be  done?"  Martyn  said;  "Adalia  is 
a  large  town.  Zaimes  says  there  are  troops  there,  likely  enough 
a  whole  regiment.  It  would  be  hopeless  to  try  to  attack  it 
with  thirty  men.  The  only  thing  I  can  see  at  present  would 
be  for  us  to  sail  right  in,  anchor  off  the  town,  and  threaten  to 
bombard  it  with  red-hot  shot  if  they  don't  give  up  the  pris- 


208  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

oners.  The  objection  is  that  they  are  likely  to  have  some 
batteries  there,  and  in  that  case  we  might  get  the  worst  of  it. 
Besides,  it  is  likely  enough  that  they  might  hang  Miller  and 
the  rest  of  them  at  the  first  shot  we  fired." 

"No,  that  is  not  to  be  thought  of,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said. 
"It  seems  to  me  that  we  might  anchor  within  sight  of  the 
place,  send  a  boat  ashore  with  a  white  flag,  and  offer  to  pay 
any  ransom  they  might  fix  for  the  prisoners.  I  would  rather 
pay  ten  thousand  pounds  than  that  harm  should  come  to  them. 
What  do  you  think,  Horace?" 

"If  we  could  have  got  at  the  pasha  before  he  .sent  Off  to 
Smyrna  that  might  have  done,  father;  but  having  once  referred 
the  case  to  Smyrna,  I  am  afraid  he  might  consider  it  too  risky 
to  let  them  go.  But  we  might  try  that  if  everything  else 
fails." 

"But  what  else  is  there,  Horace?" 

"  Well,  I  should  say,  father,  the  best  thing  would  be  to  land 
Zaimes  and  myself  again.  He  has  already  made  some  acquaint- 
ances in  the  village  here,  and  no  doubt  they  could  rig  us  both 
up  in  dresses  like  their  own.  Then  we  could  go  boldly  on  to 
Adalia,  find  out  exactly  how  things  stand,  what  sort  of  a  place 
they  are  imprisoned  in,  how  strong  is  the  guard,  and  how  close 
the  barrack  of  the  troops  is  to  the  prison.  I  should  suggest 
that  you  sail  away  west,  so  that  if,  as  it  is  likely  enough,  the 
schooner  has  been  noticed  by  any  of  the  peasants  in  the  vil- 
lages scattered  about  among  the  hills  and  word  sent  to  Adalia, 
the  report  may  also  go  that  it  has  sailed  right  away.  Then  you 
should  capture  a  small  Turkish  craft;  a  large  fishing-boat  would 
do.  Leave  ten  men  on  board  the  schooner,  and  sail  in  the 
prize  nearly  up  to  Adalia.  If  you  anchor,  say  a  couple  of 
miles  this  side  of  the  town,  and  hoist  a  little  flag,  say  a  red 
flag  over  a  white,  to  your  mast-head  we  should  recognize  you 
and  come  down  to  the  beach. 

"  If  it  is  in  the  daytime  you  will  make  us  out  with  your 
glasses  easily  enough,  and  send  a  boat  ashore  for  us.  If  it  is 
nighttime  we  will  empty  out  a  little  powder,  moisten  it,  and 


IX  THE  HAXDS  OF  THE  TURKS  209 

flash  it  off;  then  you  can  send  ashore  for  us.  I  should  order 
the  schooner  to  come  every  night,  keeping  three  or  four  miles 
off  shore,  sailing  up  nearly  to  Adalia,  and  then  returning  so  as 
to  be  round  the  cape  again  before  daylight.  In  that  way  we 
could  communicate  with  her  and  go  on  board  again  when  we 
liked.  Till  we  examine  the  place  there  is  no  saying  whether 
there  is  a  possibility  of  rescue  or  not.  If  we  find  that  there  is 
no  possibility  of  anything  being  done  in  that  direction  we  can 
embark  on  board  the  schooner  again,  and  carry  out  the  plan 
you  suggested :  anchor  off  Adalia,  and  send  in  to  offer  a  ran- 
som, with  the  alternative  that  if  it  is  not  accepted  we  will 
bombard  the  place  about  their  ears.  In  that  way,  you  see,  we 
shall  anyhow  lose  nothing  by  this  expedition  of  Zaimes  and 
myself  ashore." 

"I  think  your  plan  is  an  excellent  one,  Horace,"  Martyn 
said,  and  Mr.  Beveridge  equally  approved  of  it. 

"I  don't  think  there  will  be  any  great  danger  about  it, 
Martyn.  There  seems  no  reason  why  any  suspicion  should 
fall  upon  him  and  Zaimes  if  they  are  dressed  in  the  same  way 
as  the  Greeks  in  these  villages." 

"No,  I  don't  see  why  there  should.  Of  course  they  will 
only  speak  with  other  Greeks.  I  certainly  think  the  plan  of 
our  getting  hold  of  a  small  native  craft  and  anchoring  near  the 
town  is  a  capital  one.  It  will  save  a  great  deal  of  time,  for  it 
is  somewhere  about  fifty  miles  from  the  cape  to  the  town,  and 
it  would,  in  fact,  save  a  whole  day,  as,  if  they  come  off  to  us  in 
the  evening  we  could  do  what  there  is  to  do  that  night,  whereas, 
if  they  had  to  walk  all  the  way  down  the  coast  to  the  cape  and 
come  on  board  there  it  would  be  too  late  to  do  anything  that 
night,  and  we  should  have  to  wait  until  the  next." 

Zaimes  was  called  in,  and  eagerly  embraced  the  proposal 
when  it  was  explained  to  him.  He  was  passionately  fond  of 
his  brother,  from  whom  he  had  never  been  separated,  and.  was 
ready  to  dare  anything  to  attempt  his  rescue.  It  was  agreed 
they  had  better  wait  till  dark  before  they  landed.  Accordingly 
the  schooner  sailed  west  for  some  hours  and  did  not  return  to 


210  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

the  cape  until  after  darkness  had  fallen.  Then  Zaimes  and 
Horace  were  landed,  and  as  soon  as  the  boat  returned  the 
schooner  again  sailed  away.  Before  leaving  the  ship  Horace 
had  dressed  himself  as  a  Greek,  and  on  landing  they  walked 
to  the  village. 

"You  had  best  remain  outside  for  a  few  minutes,  Mr.  Hor- 
ace," Zaimes  said,  "while  I  see  the  man  I  conversed  with  this 
morning.  I  told  him  then  that  my  brother  was  on  board  the 
polacca  that  was  wrecked,  and  that  I  should  endeavour  to  get 
the  ear  of  some  person  of  importance  at  Adalia.  He  said  that 
he  was  sure  that  I  could  do  nothing,  but  anything  he  could  do 
to  help  me  he  would,  for  his  people  came  years  ago  from 
Naxos,  which,  as  you  know,  is  our  native  place.  I  will  just 
go  in  first  to  see  if  he  is  alone  and  to  tell  him  that  I  have  a 
friend  with  me.  As  soon  as  I  see  that  he  is  in  the  same  mood 
I  will  call  you  in." 

In  three  or  four  minutes  the  door  of  the  cottage  opened 
again  and  Horace  was  called  in. 

"This  is  the  young  friend  who  accompanies  me,"  Zaimes 
said  to  the  man.  "He  is  not  a  relation,  but  he  has  been  with 
my  brother  ever  since  he  was  born,  and  is  willing  to  join  me 
in  the  effort  to  save  him." 

"It  is  quite  hopeless,"  the  peasant  said.  "You  are  only 
risking  your  lives.  Still,  that  is  your  business.  You  are 
ready,  you  say,  to  buy  of  me  two  suits  of  our  clothes.  I  have. 
one  suit  belonging  to  my  son,  who  is  at  present  away  in  a 
coasting  ship,  and  I  have  a  suit  of  my  own  that  I  can  let  you 
have." 

Zaimes  and  Horace  had  both  brought  on  shore  a  consider- 
able amount  of  gold  stowed  in  belts  beneath  their  clothes,  in 
case  they  should  find  any  opportunity  of  bribing  a  prison 
official,  and  had  in  their  pockets  an  ample  sum  for  any  ordi- 
nary expenditure.  As  the  peasant  only  asked  about  three 
times  the  amount  which  the  clothes  would  cost  new,  they  paid 
for  them  without  bargaining,  and  at  once  put  them  on. 

"I  have  a  brother  at  Adalia,"  the  man  said,  well  pleased 


IX  THE  HANDS  OF  THE  TURKS  211 

with  the  bargain  he  had  made;  "and  if  you  go  to  him  and  say 
that  you  come  from  me,  his  brother  Alexis,  of  this  village,  I 
am  sure  he  will  be  glad  to  lodge  you,  especially  when  you  tell 
him  that  you  too  belong  to  Naxos." 

After  receiving  instructions  as  to  how  to  find  the  man's 
brother  in  Adalia  they  started  at  once  upon  their  journey. 
They  lay  down  for  three  hours  in  the  middle  of  the  night  in 
a  wood,  and  entered  Adalia  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning. 
They  went  straight  to  the  address  the  peasant  had  given  them. 
It  was  a  small  house  with  but  two  rooms,  and  its  master  was  a 
cobbler.  As  soon  as  Zaimes  mentioned  his  brother's  name, 
and  said  that  they  were  ready  to  pay  for  the  accommodation, 
the  shoemaker  agreed  at  once  to  receive  them.  He  was  a 
chatty  fellow,  and  was  very  anxious  to  hear  news  about  affairs 
in  Greece,  when  they  told  him  that  they  had  but  lately  arrived 
from  there. 

"Now,"  he  said,  "what  is  your  business?  Of  course  I  can 
see  that  you  do  not  belong  to  us.  You  are  from  Naxos,  as 
you  say;  I  notice  a  few  turns  of  speech  such  as  my  father  used 
•to  use.  But  what  have  you  come  here  for?  and  why  have  you 
bought  my  brother's  clothes  from  him,  for  I  recognized  them 
directly  you  came  in?  I  like  to  know  things,  not  because  I 
am  inquisitive,  but  because  I  do  not  want  to  have  the  pasha's 
executioner  suddenly  coming  in  at  the  door  and  taking  off  my 
head,  without  even  explaining  the  reason  why." 

"I  am  what  I  told  you,  a  Greek  of  Naxos,"  Zaimes  said; 
"and  as  I  explained  to  your  brother,  I  have  a  brother  who  is 
one  of  the  crew  of  that  ship  that  was  wrecked  here  six  days 
ago;  and  I  have  come  to  see  whether,  by  greasing  the  palms 
of  some  of  the  officials,  I  can  manage  to  get  him  out." 

"That  you  can't,"  the  man  said  decidedly.  "If  he  were 
in  the  civil  prison  it  might  be  done;  but  the  pasha,  guessing 
perhaps  that  many  of  us  Christians  would  sympathize  with 
them,  or  possibly  having  an  idea  that  the  mob  might  rise, 
handed  them  over  to  the  buldiers,  and  they  are  confined  in  a 
room  in  the  military  prison  in  the  centre  of  the  barracks, 


212  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

where  there  are  lots  of  sentries.  The  gates  have  been  closed 
since  they  were  taken  there,  and  no  civilian  is  allowed  to  enter 
under  any  pretence.  So  you  see  there  is  no  bribing  to  be 
done.  Of  course  the  sentries  are  changed  frequently.  There 
is  no  knowing  what  officer  has  the  prisoners  specially  under 
his  charge.  And  even  if  he  were  bribed,  there  would  be  no 
getting  them  past  the  sentries.  So  you  can  give  up  the  idea 
altogether  of  getting  your  brother  out." 

"How  long  does  it  take  for  a  messenger  to  go  from  here  to 
Smyrna?"  Zaimes  asked,  with  a  slight  glance  at  Horace  to 
show  that  he  was  changing  the  conversation  purposely. 

"By  ordinary  travelling  some  two  weeks;  but  a  mounted 
messenger,  with  relays  of  horses,  can  do  it  in  four  days." 

"Then  in  another  three  days  the  answer  may  come  from 
Smyrna?  " 

"That  is  so.  I  wonder  myself  that  the  pasha  took  the 
trouble  of  sending  to  the  governor  of  Anatolia,  instead  of 
hanging  the  prisoners  at  once." 

"  I  suppose  he  thought  that  the  governor  might  like  to  have 
them  sent  to  him,  so  that  he  could1  forward  them  to  Constan- 
tinople." 

"Are  you  thinking  of  delaying  the  messenger's  return? 
That  might  be  done,  you  know."  And  the  man  drew  his 
finger  across  his  throat  significantly. 

"I  don't  see  that  the  delay  would  be  of  any  use,"  Zaimes 
replied.  "  If  there  is  no  chance  of  getting  my  brother  out, 
it  matters  not  whether  the  messenger  arrives  to-day  or  a  fort- 
night hence.  However,  it  is  a  matter  that  may  be  worth 
thinking  over  later.  At  any  rate  we  will  go  out  and  have  a 
look  at  the  barracks.  Will  you  go  with  us?  I  am  not  with- 
out money,  and  can  make  it  well  worth  your  while  to  aid  us 
by  your  advice." 

"I  am  ready  enough,"  the  man  said.  "Trade  is  dull,  and 
a  man  must  live;  and  besides,  I  would  gladly  save  a  Chris- 
tian and  a  native  of  my  own  island  from  the  Turks." 

"I  would  not  trust  him  too  far,"  Zaimes  said  in  an  under- 


PLANNING    A    RESCUE  213 

tone  to  Horace  when  the  man  went  into  the  apartment  behind 
to  speak  to  his  wife.  "He  is  now  inclined  to  help  us,  espe- 
cially if  he  thinks  that  he  will  be  well  paid  for  it.  But  we 
had  better  not  let  him  know  anything  of  our  plans.  When  he 
saw  there  was  danger,  what  with  fear  as  to  his  own  safety  and 
the  hope  of  a  bigger  reward  than  he  could  expect  to  get  from 
us,  he  might  decide  to  turn  traitor.  We  had  better  let  him 
suppose  that  we  have  given  up  all  hope." 

"  I  agree  with  you,  Zaimes.  His  hint  about  the  messenger 
may  be  a  useful  one.  I  don't  mean,  of  course,  that  we  should 
cut  the  poor  beggar's  throat;  but  we  might  bind  him  and 
fasten  him  up  for  a  few  days  if  we  find  there  is  need  of  time 
to  make  our  preparations." 

"I  am  afraid  time  will  not  help  us,"  Zaimes  said.  "The 
fellow  can  have  no  motive  for  lying;  and  if  what  he  says  is 
a  fact,  I  don't  see  a  shadow  of  a  chance  of  our  getting  them 
out,  even  if  we  had  all  the  crew  of  the  schooner  here." 

"  We  shall  know  more  about  it  when  we  have  seen  the  place, 
Zaimes.  I  expected  they  would  be  securely  locked  up,  and 
it  is  not  much  worse  than  I  looked  for.  It  is  hard  if  we  can't 
hit  on  some  plan  for  getting  them  out." 


CHAPTER  XII 


PLANNING    A    RESCUE 


"PVEN  Horace  was  obliged  to  admit,  when  he  with  Zaimes 
-L'  and  their  guide  had  walked  round  the  barracks,  that  he 
saw  no  chance  whatever  of  being  able  to  get  the  prisoners  out 
by  force.  The  barracks  consisted  of  an  old  castle,  a  portion 
of  which  was,  as  the  shoemaker  told  them,  now  used  as  a 
military  prison  ;  and  round  this  at  some  distance  ran  a  strong 
wall  some  fifteen  feet  high,  loopholed  for  musketry.  The 
troops  were  lodged  in  huts  between  this  wall  and  the  castle. 


214  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

"There  you  see,"  the  guide  said,  "what  I  said  was  true. 
You  could  not  get  a  bird  out  of  that  place,  much  less  a  man." 

"That  is  so,"  Zaimes  agreed.  "Well,  what  cannot  be  done, 
cannot.  However,  we  will  talk  it  over  this  evening  at  your 
house.  Now  let  us  walk  about  and  view  the  city.  Truly  it 
is  a  fine  one." 

Few  towns,  indeed,  have  a  finer  situation  than  Adalia,  stand- 
ing as  it  does  at  the  head  of  a  noble  bay,  a  great  portion  of 
which  is  fringed  with  lofty  and  precipitous  cliffs.  The  town, 
which  at  that  time  contained  some  ten  thousand  inhabitants, 
stands  on  ground  sloping  upwards  from  the  sea  in  terraces 
rising  one  above  another.  It  was  surrounded  by  a  ditch  and 
a  double  wall  of  massive  construction,  with  square  towers 
every  fifty  yards.  Beyond  the  walls  stretched  gardens  and 
groves  of  orange,  lemon,  and  mulberry  trees.  Ten  mosques 
with  their  domes  and  minarets  reared  themselves  above  the 
houses,  and  there  were  several  churches  belonging  to  the 
Christian  population,  which  was,  the  guide  told  them,  about 
two  thousand  in  number,  the  great  proportion  of  whom  spoke 
only  the  Turkish  language.  "  I  can  talk  equally  well  in  both, 
for  it  is  but  fifty  years  since  my  father  settled  here,  and  we 
always  talked  Greek  in  the  family  as  long  as  he  lived.  Now 
I  always  speak  Turkish;  it  is  safer,  and  does  not  remind  the 
Turks  continually  that  we  are  of  Greek  race." 

"Where  does  the  pasha  reside?"  Horace  asked  presently. 

"I  will  show  you  his  place;  it  is  at  the  lower  corner  of 
the  north  wall.  His  gardens  stretch  down  to  the  wall  by  the 
water,  and  another  high  wall  on  this  side  separates  them  from 
the  town." 

Passing  through  several  streets  they  arrived  opposite  the 
residence  of  the  pasha  of  the  sanjak  of  Tekeh,  of  which  Adalia 
is  the  chief  town.  The  residence  itself  stood  at  the  angle  of 
the  two  walls  dividing  the  garden  from  the  town.  It  was  a 
massive  building.  Some  soldiers  sat  on  benches  at  either  side 
of  the  gate  that  opened  into  the  court-yard,  and  townspeople 
and  officials  passed  in  and  out. 


PLANNING  A   RESCUE  215 

"The  public  offices  are  in  the  court-yard,"  the  guide  said. 
"The  pasha's  private  dwelling  and  his  harem  lie  behind  it." 

"I  suppose  we  can  walk  in?  " 

"Certainly,"  the  guide  said;  and  they  passed  through  the 
gates  into  the  court-yard.  On  one  side  was  a  guard-room, 
stables,  and  other  offices;  on  the  other  were  the  rooms  of  the 
secretaries  and  officials  and  that  in  which  the  pasha  transacted 
business  and  received  visitors.  The  portion  of  the  house 
facing  the  gates  was  blank  on  the  basement  story,  except  that 
a  door  faced  the  gateway.  Above  were  a  line  of  windows,  all 
closed  with  jalousies.  "That  is  the  dwelling-house,"  their 
guide  said.  "  I  believe  all  the  apartments  of  the  family  face 
the  garden.  Those  windows  you  see  there  are  only  those  of 
the  apartments  of  the  servants  and  slaves." 

After  leaving  the  pasha's  they  walked  down  to  the  bottom  of 
the  town,  where  two  gates  with  strong  flanking  powers  opened 
upon  the  port,  which  was  smaller  than  Horace  had  expected 
to  find  it.  However,  he  was  glad  to  see  that  there  were  sev- 
eral craft  anchored  in  the  roadstead,  some  near  the  port,  some 
at  a  distance,  showing  that  vessels  did  not  come  in  unless  for 
shelter  in  bad  weather  or  to  discharge  heavy  cargoes.  What- 
ever the  craft,  then,  in  which  the  crew  of  the  schooner  might 
arrive,  it  would  not  attract  attention  by  anchoring  outside  the 
port,  as  arranged.  They  returned  with  their  guide  to  his 
house  and  had  a  meal  there.  Zaimes  was  profoundly  dis- 
couraged. He  saw  no  prospect  whatever  of  rescuing  his 
brother  or  the  other  prisoners,  and  the  strength  of  the  walls 
and  the  guns  that  were  mounted  upon  them — a  step  which, 
the  host  told  him,  had  been  taken  a  few  months  before  to 
defend  the  town  against  the  Greek  fleet,  should  it  make  its 
appearance  there — showed  that  there  was  no  prospect  of  the 
Turks  being  alarmed  by  the  appearance  or  threats  of  a  craft 
like  the  schooner. 

"it  seems  altogether  hopeless,"  Zaimes  said  to  the  Greek. 

The  latter  shook  his  head,  "1  can  see  no  possible  way,"  he 
replied.     "If  it  had  been  an  ordinary  prisoner  in  the  jail  it 


21G  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

could  be  managed  without  difficulty.  I  could  have  got  one  of 
our  countrymen  of  some  influence  to  have  approached  the 
prison  officers,  or  I  myself  could  have  worked  with  the 
warders;  a  small  sum  of  money  would  have  done  it.  But 
now  it  seems  to  me  hopeless,  and  even  if  we  stop  the  messenger 
and  gain  another  eight  days  while  the  pasha  sends  again  to 
Smyrna,  we  should  only  run  some  risk  and  gain  nothing." 

Zaimes  assented  mournfully. 

"You  had  better  make  the  man  a  present,  Zaimes,"  Horace 
said  when  they  were  alone  for  a  minute  after  the  meal  was 
finished.  "Tell  him  that  it  seems  to  us  to  be  hopeless,  and 
that  we  shall  probably  go  right  away;  but  that  if,  thinking  it 
over,  we  can  hit  upon  any  possible  plan  we  will  be  back  again 
this  evening  and  sleep  here." 

Zaimes  carried  out  the  suggestion,  gave  their  host  a  gold 
coin,  and  said  that  they  saw  no  use  in  staying  longer,  but 
would  think  it  over  in  every  way  and  might  return  that  evening. 

"If  you  go  outside  the  town  you  must  be  back  by  sunset," 
the  man  said;  "the  gates  are  closed  at  that  hour." 

"We  will  not  forget,  but  I  do  not  think  you  will  see  us 
again." 

"Even  if  our  people  don't  arrive  this  evening,  Zaimes,  I 
think  it  will  be  just  as  well  not  to  go  back  into  the  town," 
Horace  said  as  they  issued  out  through  the  gates  into  the 
country.  "  I  don't  say  for  a  moment  that  the  man  is  not  hon- 
est, but  it  is  just  as  well  not  to  put  temptation  in  his  way. 
He  knows  that  we  are  friends  of  the  prisoners,  and  he,  no 
doubt,  guesses  that  we  belong  to  the  craft  that  captured  the 
polacca  that  was  wrecked.  No  doubt  he  would  not  openly 
betray  us;  that  would  bring  him  into  discredit  with  all  the 
Christians  in  the  town.  But  a  few  words  whispered  to  some 
Turk,  and  an  agreement  to  share  any  reward  that  may  be  given 
for  our  capture,  would  answer  the  purpose  just  as  well.  I 
don't  say  he  would  do  it,  you  know,  but  it  would  be  just  as 
well  not  to  run  the  risk." 

On  issuing  from  the  gate,  Horace  saw  that  there  was  a  nar- 


PLANNING   A   RESCUE  217 

row  road  running  between  a  deep  dry  ditch  at  the  foot  of  the 
city  walls  and  the  outlying  gardens  and  orchards. 

"This  will  be  our  shortest  way  down  to  the  water,  Zaimes, 
let  us  follow  it." 

The  Greek  turned  without  question.  When  they  had  gone 
half-way  down  between  the  gate  and  the  bottom  of  the  hill, 
Horace  stopped.  "  Now,  let  us  have  a  good  look  at  this 
place.  On  the  other  side  of  that  wall  is  the  garden  of  the 
pasha's  house.  I  counted  the  number  of  steps  up  from  the 
house  to  the  cross-road  leading  to  the  gateway,  and  I  have 
counted  them  coming  down  again;  we  are  about  fifty  yards 
below  the  upper  wall  of  the  garden." 

"I  daresay  it  is  so,"  Zaimes  replied  listlessly. 

"This  ditch  is  about  ten  feet  deep,  and  from  the  bottom  of 
the  ditch  to  the  top  of  that  first  wall  is  from  five-and-twenty 
to  thirty;  between  that  wall  and  the  higher  one  inside  it  is 
about  fifteen  feet;  and  the  inner  wall  is  about  fifteen  feet 
higher  than  the  outer  one;  those  square  towers  form  junctions 
between  the  two  walls.  Now,  we  may  be  quite  sure  that  there 
are  no  sentries  either  on  the  wall  or  on  the  square  towers.  I 
don't  suppose  there  are  sentries  anywhere  except  in  the  bat- 
teries on  the  water-face,  but  there  certainly  won't  be  here, 
for  they  would  command  a  view  down  into  the  pasha's  gar- 
den; so  we  may  quite  conclude  that  except  for  the  trouble  of 
scaling  the  walls  there  is  nothing  to  prevent  our  getting  over. 
A  couple  of  rope-ladders  and  one  or  two  twenty-foot  planks 
with  bits  nailed  across  them  to  give  a  foothold  would  take  us 
on  to  the  inner  wall;  then  we  should  need  another  long  ladder 
to  get  down  into  the  garden.  That  would  be  about  thirty-five 
feet,  I  should  say." 

"Yes,  I  see  all  that,"  Zaimes,  whose  face  had  again  become 
animated  as  he  listened,  agreed;  "but  what  would  be  the  good 
of  getting  into  the  pasha's  garden?  " 

"  No  good  at  all,  if  we  were  by  ourselves,  Zaimes,  but  with 
Martyn  and  twenty  men  from  the  schooner  a  good  deal  of  good, 
I  should  say.     We  have  only  got  to  make  a  sudden  rush  into 


218  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

the  house,  which  will,  of  course,  be  open  to  the  garden,  seize 
the  pasha,  and  carry  him  and  some  of  his  wives  and  children 
off  to  the  craft  that  our  fellows  come  in,  and  then  on  to  the 
schooner.  Then  we  can  send  ashore  to  say  that  unless  the 
prisoners  are  sent  off  in  a  boat  to  us  by  twelve  o'clock  in 
the  day  we  shall  hang  the  pasha.  Maybe  when  we  get  hold 
of  the  pasha  there  will  be  no  occasion  to  carry  him  and  his 
Avomen  off;  the  mere  threat  of  it  might  be  enough.  We  can 
tell  him  that  it  will  be  painful  to  us  to  have  to  hoist  them  up 
to  the  top  of  the  wall  in  sacks,  but  that  we  shall  be  obliged  to 
do  it  unless  he  signs  an  order  for  the  prisoners'  release,  and 
sends  it  off  at  once  by  an  officer  to  the  jail.  A  handsome 
bribe  that  will  enable  him  to  make  his  peace  with  his  superior 
at  Smyrna  may  help  to  quicken  his  perception." 

Zaimes  seized  Horace's  hand  with  fervour,  shook  it  wildly, 
clasped  his  hands  on  his  breast,  raised  them  to  heaven,  and 
poured  forth  a  stream  of  exclamations  of  delight.  The  quiet 
habits  of  many  years  had  been  thrown  to  the  winds  in  a  mo- 
ment, and  the  excitable  Greek  nature  burst  through  all  re- 
straints. "  You  have  given  me  new  life,"  he  exclaimed  as  soon 
as  he  had  calmed  down  a  little.  "Just  now  there  did  not 
seem  even  a  shadow  of  hope.  Now  there  is  a  chance  that  once 
again  I  may  clasp  my  brother  in  my  arms.  Your  plan  is 
difficult,  it  is  dangerous,  and  yet  we  may  succeed.  It  is  a 
desperate  undertaking,  but  what  is  that?  I  would  give  my 
life  for  my  brother,  and  your  sailors  would  all  risk  theirs  for 
their  comrades." 

"  Let  us  sit  down  here  quietly  for  a  few  minutes,  Zaimes, 
and  take  a  good  look  at  these  walls.  It  is  evident  by  the  look 
of  this  road  that  it  is  very  little  used,  and  even  if  anyone  did 
come  up  they  would  only  think  that  we  had  been  working  in  the 
orange  groves  behind  us  and  were  taking  a  quiet  smoke.  It 
is  lucky  that  there  is  a  moon  to-night;  it  would  be  an  awfully 
difficult  job  to  get  over  those  walls  and  into  a  place  we  know 
nothing  of  if  it  were  a  dark  night.  There  will  be  no  difficulty 
in  throwing  up  a  grapnel  and  getting  on  to  the  first  wall.    The 


PLANNING   A   RESCUE  219 

greatest  difficulty  will  be  in  crossing  from  that  to  the  one  be- 
hind it.  Of  course  with  a  regular  gangway  it  would  be  easy 
enough,  but  we  should  not  be  able  to  get  materials  for  making 
one.  However,  with  a  couple  of  stout  spars  put  up  a  foot 
apart  with  ropes  between  them  a  foot  from  each  other  so  as  to 
make  ratlings,  we  could  get  up,  though  it  wouldn't  be  a  very 
easy  job  passing  women  down.  Still,  I  hope  it  won't  come 
to  that.  I  should  think  if  we  capture  the  pasha  and  his  chil- 
dren, if  he  has  any — and  I  suppose  with  half-a-dozen  wives 
he  will  be  sure  to  have  some — we  might  leave  the  women 
alone,  though,  of  course,  we  should  threaten  to  take  them.  But 
I'll  tell  you  what  we  shall  want,  and  that  is  a  man  who  can 
speak  Turkish  well,  so  as  to  explain  exactly  to  the  pasha  the 
fix  he  is  in." 

"Yes,  we  shall  want  such  a  man,"  Zaimes  agreed. 

"Very  well,  Zaimes,  then  I  think  you  had  better  go  back  to 
our  friend  at  once.  Even  if  he  did  mean  treachery,  he  would 
have  taken  no  steps  yet,  as  he  won't  expect  us  back  till  the 
evening  if  we  come  at  all.  Tell  him  that  you  want  a  service 
of  him  in  which  he  will  run  no  personal  danger — for  you  know 
we  can  dress  him  up  in  some  of  our  things,  and  put  a  bit  of 
black  cloth  as  a  mask  half  over  his  face — and  that  he  will  be 
paid  twenty  pieces  of  gold  for  a  night's  work.  That  will  be  a 
fortune  to  him." 

"That  will  be  the  best  plan,"  Zaimes  said.  "Where  shall 
we  meet  you?  " 

"  I  will  go  down  the  hill  to  the  bottom  to  see  what  sort  of 
a  road  there  is  along  the  sea,  and  I  will  wait  there  for  you. 
If  the  road  is  exposed  to  the  view  of  any  sentries  on  the  bat- 
teries at  the  sea  wall  we  must  make  our  way  through  the 
orchards  to  this  point;   if  not,  we  will  move  along  there." 

"  Do  you  think  that  Captain  Martyn  is  sure  to  be  here  this 
evening?  " 

"  He  is  quite  certain  to  be.  He  knows  that  every  hour  is  of 
importance,  and  he  will  get  hold  of  some  craft  or  other  early 
this  morning  even  if  he  has  to  go  into  a  fishing  port  to  get  it." 


220  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

Zaimes  retraced  his  steps  up  the  hill,  while  Horace  saun- 
tered down  until  he  came  out  on  to  the  road  leading  to  the 
port  along  the  shore.  A  good  many  small  houses  were  scat- 
tered along  by  its  side,  and  some  fishing-boats  drawn  up  on 
the  beach.  At  the  angle  of  the  wall  there  was  a  battery. 
Three  guns  pointed  along  the  road  and  the  Turkish  sentry  was 
leaning  against  the  parapet  by  the  side  of  them. 

"We  shall  have  to  make  our  way  through  the  orchards," 
he  said  to  himself.  "There  will  be  no  getting  along  this  road 
with  the  moon  up.  The  sentry  would  notice  us  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  away.  Besides,  the  tramp  of  so  many  feet  would  be 
certain  to  bring  people  to  their  doors.  And  we  must  come 
early  if  we  can,  so  as  to  catch  the  pasha  before  he  goes  to 
bed." 

In  half  an  hour  Zaimes  and  the  cobbler  came  up. 

"  It  is  agreed,"  the  former  said  in  English;  "  twenty  pounds 
will  make  him  what  he  considers  rich,  and  he  declares  he  is 
ready  to  run  any  risk  for  a  single  night's  work  in  order  to  gain 
it.  I  think  he  is  an  honest  fellow.  I  watched  him  closely 
when  I  went  in,  and  if  he  had  any  thought  whatever  of  betray- 
ing us,  I  think  I  should  have  seen  it  in  his  face." 

It  was  now  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  they  soon 
made  out  a  small  brigantine  anchored  a  quarter  of  a  mile  out, 
and  about  a  mile  and  a  half  along  the  shore. 

"I  expect  that  is  her,"  Horace  said.  "She  has  only  just 
come  in,  for  there  are  some  men  upon  the  yards  stowing 
away  the  sails,  and  that  is  just  the  position  we  agreed  she 
should  take  up." 

When  they  had  gone  a  mile  farther  they  could  see  that  she 
had  small  red  and  white  flags  at  her  mast-head.  When  they 
got  opposite  to  her  they  went  down  to  the  water's  edge. 
Horace  waved  a  white  handkerchief  for  a  moment  and  then 
sat  down.  A  minute  later  the  boat  towing  behind  the  brigan- 
tine was  hauled  up.  Two  men  got  into  her  and  rowed  lei- 
surely to  the  shore.  They  were  dressed  as  Turkish  sailors,  but 
Horace  recognized  them  as  they  came  close  as  two  of  the 


PLANNING   A    RESCUE  221 

crew.  They  stepped  in  at  once,  and  the  boat  rowed  out 
again. 

"Have  you  any  news  of  Mr.  Miller  and  the  others,  Mr. 
Horace,"  one  of  them  said,  "if  I  might  make  so  bold  as  to 
ask?" 

"  Certainly  you  may.  They  are  in  prison,  and  there  is  no 
possibility  of  getting  them  out  with  the  strength  we  have  got; 
it  would  need  three  or  four  hundred  men  at  least.  But  we 
have  another  plan,  which  we  hope  will  be  successful." 

"You  will  find  the  captain  down  in  the  cabin  with  your 
father,  Mr.  Horace.  Everyone  is  keeping  below  except  three 
or  four  of  our  chaps,  who  are  got  up,  like  us,  in  the  clothes  of 
the  crew  of  the  craft." 

"Come  along,  Zaimes,"  Horace  said  as  he  stepped  on 
board.  "You  had  better  come  with  me.  This  man  is  going 
to  help  us,  Davidson,  so  make  him  as  comfortable  as  you  can 
till  Zaimes  comes  out  again." 

Horace  found  his  father,  Martyn,  and  the  doctor  in  the 
little  cabin.  He  was  heartily  welcomed  back,  and  eagerly 
questioned  as  to  his  news.  He  first  told  them  of  the  impos- 
sibility of  doing  anything  to  effect  the  rescue  of  the  prisoners, 
guarded  as  they  were;  and  then  explained  the  position  of  the 
pasha's  house  and  garden,  and  his  own  plan. 

"Well,  it  is  a  bold  scheme,  Horace,  but  I  should  think  it 
might  succeed,"  Martyn  said  when  he  concluded.  "  We  ought 
certainly  to  be  able  to  get  hold  of  the  pasha  before  an  alarm 
is  given,  and  if  we  do  we  might  manage  to  make  terms  with 
him  without  the  women  knowing  anything  about  it.  That 
would  be  a  great  point,  if  it  could  be  managed,  for  if  they 
begin  screaming  they  will  bring  the  whole  town  upon  us.  You 
say  there  is  one  door  from  that  part  of  the  house  into  the 
court-yard  on  the  other  side,  and  of  course  there  is  a  commu- 
nication from  the  public  rooms  into  the  house.  The  first 
thing  to  do  when  we  get  in  will  be  to  post  a  couple  of  men  at 
each  of  these  doors  to  prevent  anyone  from  running  out  and 
giving  them  the  alarm.     After  that  we  can  tackle  the  pasha 


222  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

quietly.  As  you  say,  though  we  may  threaten,  there  would  be 
no  getting  women  up  over  those  walls;  they  would  have  to  be 
slung  up  like  bales,  and  if  the  alarm  were  given  we  should 
have  the  town  upon  us  before  we  had  half  finished  the  job. 
We  could  bundle  the  pasha  off,  tied  up  if  he  would  not  walk, 
and  take  a  dozen  children  if  there  are  as  many,  for  the  sailors 
could  carry  them  if  they  were  small;  if  not,  they  could  be 
gagged  and  made  to  walk  with  a  pistol  at  their  heads;  but 
with  women,  and  especially  Turkish  women,  it  would  be  an 
awful  business.  Many  of  them  are  fat,  and  some  of  them  I 
suppose  would  faint.  If  we  can  get  the  pasha  himself  and 
some  of  his  children  that  will  be  enough;  but  as  you  say,  I 
expect  he  will  give  in  when  he  finds  himself  in  our  hands,  and 
we  tell  him  that  we  are  going  to  carry  him  and  his  whole 
family  off.  Your  idea  of  a  bribe  in  addition  is  a  very  good 
one.  Of  course,  as  you  say,  if  we  were  sure  the  men  at  Smyrna 
would  send  an  order  for  them  to  be  sent  to  him,  we  should  be 
all  right,  for  we  could  attack  their  guard  at  some  lonely  spot 
along  the  road;  but  the  betting  is  ten  to  one  that  he  orders 
them  to  be  hung  at  once,  and  if  the  pasha  here  writes  in  return 
describing  how  he  has  been  obliged  to  give  them  up,  and 
sending  a  handsome  present,  he  will  hear  nothing  more  about 
it.     What  time  do  you  think  we  had  better  start,  Horace?  " 

"About  nine  o'clock,  I  should  say.  It  will  take  us  a  good 
hour  getting  from  here  and  scaling  the  walls.  It  is  not  likely 
the  pasha  will  be  turning  in  before  eleven,  but  it  is  as  well  to 
give  a  good  margin." 

"I  should  recommend  you  not  to  go,  Mr.  Beveridge,"  Mar- 
tyn  said.  "You  are  not  accustomed  to  climb  rope-ladders. 
It  is  a  job  that  is  only  fit  for  sailors." 

"I  do  not  think  I  should  be  of  much  use,"  Mr.  Beveridge 
replied.  "If  I  did,  I  would  go  gladly;  but  after  the  hin- 
drance I  was  to  you  all  at  Cyprus,  I  will  take  your  advice  and 
stay  here." 

"  I  will  leave  a  couple  of  men  with  you." 

"  No,  Captain  Martyn,  you  may  want  every  man.     Zaimes 


PLANNING   A    RESCUE  J-'o 

will  remain  with  me.  If  you  were  going  to  attack  the  prison 
no  doubt  he  would  wish  to  be  there  and  help  to  rescue  his 
brother:  but  as  it  is,  someone  must  stay  here  as  we  have  eight 
prisoners  down  in  the  hold,  and  as  he  is  no  more  accustomed 
to  climbing  ropes  than  I  am,  it  is  better  that  he  should  re- 
main here." 

"Very  well,  sir,  then  I  will  see  about  getting  the  things  we 
shall  want  made." 

The  crew  were  at  once  set  to  work  to  prepare  the  ladders. 

"We  had  better  not  make  regular  rope-ladders,"  Martyn 
said.  "They  are  well  enough  for  us;  but  if  we  have  to  get 
people  over  the  wall,  we  had  better  put  in  wooden  rungs." 

Accordingly  some  spare  oars  were  sawn  up  into  lengths, 
and  with  these  and  four  ropes,  two  ladders  each  forty  feet  long 
were  manufactured.  Then  two  spars  twenty-five  feet  long 
were  chosen.  Cross-pieces  were  nailed  to  these  a  foot  apart, 
and  a  long  piece  of  canvas  was  nailed  under  this  gangway,  so 
that,  as  Martyn  said,  if  any  of  the  captives  made  a  false  step 
in  going  across  it,  they  would  not  fall  through.  A  single 
block  was  fastened  to  a  grapnel,  and  a  long  rope  attached  for 
getting  up  the  ladder  to  the  top  of  the  first  wall.  All  this  was 
but  an  hour's  work  for  twenty  men.  The  doctor  had  been 
asked  whether  he  would  prefer  staying  on  board  or  going 
with  the  party.     He  decided  upon  staying. 

"  If  you  were  going  to  fight  I  would  certainly  go  with  you, 
Martyn ;  but  I  am  no  more  accustomed  to  climbing  up  ropes 
than  Mr.  Beveridge  is,  and  I  should  only  be  in  your  way,  so  I 
will  stay  with  him  and  Zaimes  and  keep  watch  on  board." 

"  I  think  that  is  the  best  plan,  doctor.  It  is  sailors'  work. 
We  shall  have  trouble  as  it  is  in  hoisting  that  fellow  Horace 
brought  on  board  over  the  walls." 

The  cobbler  had  turned  pale  with  fright  when  Zaimes  ex- 
plained to  him  that  they  were  going  to  take  the  pasha  a  pris- 
oner, and  that  he  would  be  wanted  to  interpret  to  him,  and  he 
protested  that  nothing  could  tempt  him  to  undertake  such  a 
business. 


224  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

"Nonsense,  man!"  Zaimes  said.  "You  will  run  no  more 
risks  than  the  others.  Look  at  them  laughing  and  joking. 
They  don't  look  like  men  who  are  about  to  embark  on  a  peril- 
ous expedition.  However,  I  promised  you  twenty  pounds, 
but  if  you  do  your  work  well  and  speak  out  boldly  and  firmly 
what  you  are  told,  you  shall  have  another  five." 

"It  is  a  big  sum  for  a  poor  man,"  the  cobbler  replied.  "I 
will  do  it,  but  I  won't  answer  for  speaking  out  loud  and  bold; 
my  teeth  chatter  at  the  very  thought  of  it.  If  he  should  ever 
recognize  me  again,  he  would  chop  me  up  into  mince  meat." 

"How  can  he  recognize  you?  You  can  either  fasten  a  piece 
of  black  cloth  over  your  face,  or  what  will  do  just  as  well,  get 
a  cork  and  burn  it,  and  rub  it  over  your  face  till  you  are  as 
black  as  coal.  Your  own  brother  wouldn't  know  you  then, 
and  the  pasha  will  have  enough  to  think  about  without  staring 
at  you." 

"I  like  that  better  than  the  cloth,"  the  man  said.  "If 
there  is  a  scuffle  the  black  cloth  may  come  off." 

"We  will  rig  you  up  in  the  clothes  of  one  of  the  sailors 
here.  You  can  put  them  on  over  your  own  if  you  like,  and 
then  you  will  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  throw  them  away, 
wash  your  face,  and  walk  boldly  into  the  town  in  the  morn- 
ing." 

The  brigantine  had  two  boats.  These  were,  as  soon  as  it 
became  dark,  lowered,  and  a  quarter  before  nine  the  landing 
party  mustered.  The  men  had  already  torn  up  some  blankets 
and  old  sail-cloth,  and  wrapped  them  round  their  cutlasses 
and  muskets  so  as  to  deaden  the  sound  should  these  strike 
against  the  wall.  The  guns  were  not  loaded,  but  each  man 
carried  thirty  rounds  of  ammunition  and  a  brace  of  pistols, 
which  were  to  be  loaded  as  soon  as  they  got  down  into  the 
garden,  Martyn,  however,  giving  the  strictest  orders  that  what- 
ever happened  not  a  shot  was  to  be  fired  without  his  permis- 
sion. 

"  I  do  not  think  it  is  likely  that  we  shall  meet  with  any 
resistance,  lads,"  he  said  before  they  stepped  down  into  the 


THE   PASHA   OF   ADALIA  225 

boats.  "If  there  is,  knock  them  down  with  your  fists;  or  if 
there  is  anything  serious,  use  your  cutlasses.  Mr.  Horace  will 
place  the  four  men  told  off  for  the  doors,  at  their  posts.  These 
will  follow  him  through  the  house  regardless  of  anything  that 
is  going  on  around.  Everything  depends  upon  our  preventing 
anyone  from  leaving  the  house  and  giving  the  alarm.  I  shall 
myself  post  men  at  all  the  lower  windows  before  we  enter. 
Their  duty  will  be  to  prevent  anyone  from  coming  out  into 
the  garden.  If  there  is  yelling  or  shrieking  in  the  garden  it 
will  alarm  the  town.  As  long  as  they  only  shriek  in  the  house 
there  is  no  fear  of  its  being  heard.  Now  you  each  know  what 
you  have  got  to  do.  As  to  scaling  the  wall,  this  must  be  done 
as  quietly  as  if  you  were  making  sail  on  board  a  smart  frigate." 


CHAPTER   XIII 


THE    PASHA    OF    ADALIA 


PACKED  closely  in  the  two  boats  of  the  Turkish  craft  the 
landing  party  rowed  for  the  shore.  As  soon  as  they 
reached  it  the  boats  were  drawn  up  on  the  strand,  and  in 
silence  Martyn  led  his  men  across  the  road.  Then  he  struck 
off  into  the  orchard  on  the  other  side,  so  as  to  escape  the 
notice  of  any  of  the  people  in  the  houses  by  the  road.  The 
cobbler  and  Horace  went  first,  Martyn  and  the  men  followed 
a  short  distance  behind.  Half  an  hour's  walking  took  them 
to  the  edge  of  the  ditch,  and  after  a  short  search  they  found 
a  bough  that  Horace  and  Zaimes  had  cut  off  and  thrown  down 
by  the  side  of  the  path,  to  mark  the  spot  where  they  were  to 
make  the  ascent. 

Two  sailors  were  posted  on  the  path,  at  fifty  yards  above 
and  below  them,  in  case  anyone  should  come  along,  although 
the  risk  of  this  was  exceedingly  small.  There  was  no  difficulty 


226  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

in  scrambling  down  into  the  ditch.  As  soon  as  they  did  so 
the  sailor  who  carried  the  grapnel  advanced  to  the  foot  of  the 
wall,  and  at  the  second  attempt  succeeded  in  getting  it  to 
hold  on  the  parapet.  Another,  with  one  of  the  rope-ladders, 
went  forward,  fastened  the  rope  to  it,  and  the  two  of  them 
hauled  the  ladder  up  to  the  block,  and  kept  the  rope  taut 
while  Martyn  mounted.  He  found,  as  he  had  expected,  that 
there  was  a  platform  behind  the  wall  for  men  to  stand  on  while 
firing.  Taking  his  place  on  it  he  took  hold  of  the  ladder 
rope  and  told  the  men  below  to  loosen  their  end.  Holding  it 
partly  up  he  fastened  it  at  the  block.  Then  two  men  joined 
him,  hauled  the  wooden  gangway  up,  and  planted  it  against 
the  top  of  the  inner  wall.  The  rest  of  the  men  followed,  and 
Martyn  led  the  way  across.  The  others  soon  stood  beside 
him,  all  stooping  down  on  the  platform  as  soon  as  they  had 
crossed,  so  that  their  heads  should  not  show  above  the  sky- 
line, should  anyone  happen  to  be  looking  out  from  the  win- 
dows of  the  house. 

Two  sailors  helped  the  cobbler  across  the  gangway.  Horace 
was  the  last  to  mount,  with  the  exception  of  the  two  sentries, 
whom  he  summoned  with  a  low  whistle  as  soon  as  the  others 
were  up.  When  they  reached  the  top  they  hauled  the  rope- 
ladder  after  them,  and  laid  it  ready  for  lowering  again.  By 
the  time  Horace  crossed  to  the  inner  wall  Martyn  and  most  of 
the  men  had  already  descended  to  the  garden  by  the  second 
rope-ladder. 

"That  has  all  been  managed  well,"  Martyn  said  when 
Horace  joined  him  below.  "Now,  you  and  I  will  go  forward 
and  reconnoitre  a  bit." 

The  house  was  seventy  or  eighty  yards  away.  There  were 
lights  in  several  windows  on  the  ground-floor,  and  at  almost 
all  the  windows  on  the  flat  above  it. 

"We  had  better  take  off  our  shoes,  Horace.  It  is  no  use 
running  any  risks.  Shove  them  in  your  sash  beside  your 
pistols." 

They  stole  noiselessly  up  to  the  house  and  looked  in  at  the 


THE    PASHA    OF   ADALIA  227 

windows.  In  one  room  were  a  group  of  servants  sitting  round 
a  brazier,  smoking;  another  room  was  empty;  but  in  the 
third,  which  was  much  the  largest,  four  Turkish  officials  were 
seated  on  a  divan,  and  a  Nubian  slave  was  handing  them 
coffee. 

"That  old  chap  is  the  pasha,  no  doubt,"  Martyn  whispered. 
"He  is  evidently  master  of  the  house.  You  see  he  is  giving 
some  order  or  other  to  the  slave.  Here  is  the  garden  door 
into  a  hall;  let  us  see  if  it  is  open.  Yes;  that  is  all  right. 
Well,  I  think  now  we  will  bring  up  the  men.  Now,  as  soon 
as  we  are  in,  Horace,  you  take  four  men;  go  in  first  and  post 
them  at  the  doors  leading  out  of  the  house.  I  will  take  six 
men  and  seize  the  pasha  and  his  friends.  Other  four  will 
pounce  upon  the  servants.  Your  cobbler  fellow  had  better  go 
with  them  to  tell  the  servants  that  if  they  make  the  least  row 
they  will  have  their  throats  cut.  The  other  men  will  scatter 
about  in  the  passages  and  down  stairs,  and  pounce  upon  any- 
body who  may  come  along.  As  soon  as  you  have  posted  your 
men,  go  to  the  room  where  the  servants  are,  and  bring  the 
interpreter  in  to  me.  Tell  the  sailors  to  bind  the  fellows  and 
lay  them  down,  and  put  a  couple  of  guards  over  them." 

They  returned  to  the  men  and  told  them  off  to  their  several 
duties.  All  were  ordered  to  take  their  shoes  off,  and  put  them 
in  their  belts. 

"Now,  you  can  draw  your  cutlasses,  lads,"  Martyn  said. 
"Have  you  all  loaded  your  pistols?  " 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Well,  mind  they  are  not  to  be  used;  a  pistol-shot  might 
destroy  all  our  plans.  I  hope  to  manage  it  so  that  there  shall 
not  be  any  noise  whatever." 

They  made  their  way  quietly  up  to  the  house.  Horace 
opened  the  door  and  led  the  way  in,  followed  by  his  four  men. 
They  passed  through  the  hall  and  a  long  passage,  from  which 
several  rooms  opened;  and  he  was  sure,  by  the  direction  in 
which  he  was  going,  that  this  must  lead  to  the  offices.  At  the 
end  was  a  strong  door;  only  one  bolt  was  shot,  as  doubtless 


228  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

the  officers  would  be  leaving  by  this  way.  He  put  up  a  heavy 
bar  that  was  standing  beside  it,  stationed  two  of  the  sailors 
there,  and  then  retraced  his  steps  with  the  others.  Just  as  he 
reached  the  hall  again  a  sailor  came  up  to  him. 

"This  is  the  way  to  the  big  door,  your  honour;  "  and  turn- 
ing down  another  passage  they  arrived  at  a  double  door, 
which  Horace  had  no  doubt  was  the  one  that  he  had  seen  in 
the  court-yard.  Posting  the  men  there  he  hurried  back,  and 
soon  found  the  room  where  the  servants  had  been  sitting. 
The  work  had  already  been  done.  The  sailors  had  all  been 
provided  with  short  lengths  of  rope,  and  the  Turks  were  lying 
bound  upon  the  floor.  Telling  the  cobbler  to  accompany  him, 
he  went  into  the  next  room.  Two  sailors,  with  drawn  cut- 
lasses, were  standing  by  the  side  of  the  pasha.  The  three 
officers  had  been  bound,  and  were  lying  on  the  divan,  with  a 
sailor  standing  over  each,  while  the  other  sailor  stood  over 
the  attendant,  who  cowered  on  the  ground  in  an  attitude  of 
abject  terror.      Martyn  was  standing  facing  the  pasha. 

"Now,  Horace,"  he  said,  "tell  your  man  what  to  say  to  the 
pasha." 

This  had  been  arranged  between  them,  and  Horace  at  once 
addressed  the  pasha. 

"Do  you  speak  Greek?" 

The  pasha  shook  his  head. 

"Tell  him,"  Horace  said  in  that  language  to  the  interpreter, 
"that  we  belong  to  the  ship  to  which  the  officers  and  sailors 
he  has  in  his  prison  also  belong,  and  that  we  have  come  here 
to  fetch  them  away.  We  are  fighting  under  the  flag  of  Greece; 
but  we  are  Englishmen  by  blood,  and  we  shall  do  no  harm  to 
him  or  his  family.  The  prisoners,  however,  we  will  have; 
and  unless  he  sends  at  once,  with  an  order  for  their  delivery 
from  the  prison,  and  hands  them  over  to  us,  we  shall  be 
obliged  to  carry  him,  the  three  officers  here,  and  the  ladies  of 
his  family  and  his  children,  off  on  board  our  ship  as  hostages; 
and  if  a  hair  of  the  prisoners'  heads  is  touched,  we  shall  be 
forced  to  hang  him  and  the  whole  of  his  family  to  the  yard- 
arms  of  the  ship." 


i'HE   CAPTURE   OF   THE    PASHA 


THE    PASHA    OF   ADALIA  229 

The  interpreter  translated  his  words  sentence  by  sentence. 
The  Turk  had  at  first  looked  perfectly  impassive  ;  but  at  the 
threat  to  carry  off  his  women  and  children  his  expression 
changed,  the  veins  stood  out  of  his  forehead,  and  his  face 
flushed  with  fury. 

"Tell  him,"  Horace  went  on,  "that  we  should  deeply  regret 
to  have  to  take  such  a  step,  and  that  we  sincerely  trust  that  he 
will  see  the  necessity  for  his  yielding  to  our  demands.  There 
is  no  possibility  of  assistance  reaching  him,  we  are  a  well- 
armed  body  of  determined  men,  his  servants  have  been  secured, 
and  all  the  doors  are  guarded,  as  also  the  windows  outside — 
he  is  completely  in  our  power.  As  we  came  in  noiselessly 
and  unobserved,  so  we  shall  depart.  If  he  refuses  to  comply 
with  our  demands  we  shall,  of  course,  be  compelled  to  bind 
and  gag  all  our  captives,  and  to  carry  the  ladies«and  children." 

When  the  last  sentence  had  been  translated,  Horace  said  to 
Martyn,  "  I  think,  Captain  Martyn,  you  had  better  get  those 
officers  carried  into  the  next  room,  so  that  we  can  touch  upon 
the  money  side  of  the  question." 

Martyn  gave  the  order,  and  the  officers  and  the  attendant 
were  removed. 

"Now,  pasha,"  Horace  went  on,  "let  us  look  at  this  thing 
reasonably.  On  the  one  side  is  the  certainty  that  you  and 
the  ladies  of  the  household  and  your  children  will  be  carried 
away;  and  that  unless  the  prisoners  are  given  up  to  us  in 
exchange  for  you,  you  will  be  all  put  to  death.  On  the  other 
hand,  you  have  but  to  surrender  prisoners  whom  you  did  not 
even  capture  in  war,  but  who  were  wrecked  on  your  shore. 
We  know  that  you  have  sent  to  Smyrna  for  directions  concern- 
ing them.  Were  it  not  for  that  you  would  have  handed  them 
over  to  us  without  difficulty;  but  as  the  pasha  there,  who  is 
your  superior,  now  knows  of  it,  you  think  that  he  will  be  angry 
when  he  hears  of  their  escape,  and  that  you  might  fall  into 
disgrace.  Hut  I  don't  think  that  the  pasha  of  Anatolia,  if  he 
were  placed  in  the  same  position  as  you  are,  would  hesitate  a 
moment  in  giving  up  a  score  of  captives  of  no  great  impor- 


230  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

tance  one  way  or  the  other;  and  that  if  the  matter  were  placed 
by  you  in  the  proper  light  before  him,  accompanied,  perhaps, 
by  a  present,  nothing  more  would  be  heard  about  it.  In  any 
case  we  are  ready  to  pay  you  the  sum  of  one  thousand  pounds 
as  a  ransom  for  them.  We  have  sent  your  officers  out  of 
the  room  that  they  should  not  hear  this  offer,  which  will  be 
entirely  between  ourselves.  It  is  not  meant  as  a  bribe  to  you, 
but  as  a  ransom,  which,  if  you  choose  to  send  it  to  Smyrna, 
will  doubtless  assist  the  pasha  there  to  perceive  that  being, 
with  your  whole  family,  at  our  mercy,  you  had  no  resource 
but  to  comply  with  our  commands.  We  will  give  you  five 
minutes  to  make  up  your  mind." 

When  this  was  translated,  the  pasha  asked : 

"  How  am  I  to  know  that,  if  the  captives  are  restored  to 
you,  you  will  not  still  carry  me  and  my  family  away?  " 

"You  have  simply  the  word  of  English  gentlemen,"  Horace 
said  when  the  question  was  translated  to  him.  "You  see  we 
are  acting  as  considerately  as  we  can.  Your  ladies  upstairs 
are  still  unaware  that  anything  unusual  is  going  on.  Our  men 
have  touched  nothing  belonging  to  you.  We  are  neither 
robbers  nor  kidnappers,  but  simply  men  who  have  come  to 
save  their  comrades  from  a  cruel  death." 

"I  will  write  the  order,"  the  pasha  said  firmly.  "Had  I 
been  in  the  house  by  myself  I  would  have  died  rather  than  do 
so.     Being  as  it  is,  I  cannot  resist." 

"Who  will  you  send  with  the  order?  "  Horace  asked. 

"  One  of  the  officers  you  have  taken  away  is  the  colonel  of 
the  regiment.  He  will  take  it  and  bring  the  prisoners  here. 
He  is  the  oldest  of  the  three." 

Horace  went  into  the  next  room  and  ordered  the  officer  to 
be  unbound  and  brought  in  by  two  of  the  sailors. 

"You  have  heard,  Colonel  Osman,  the  terms  that  these 
strangers  have  laid  down,  and  that  unless  the  prisoners  are 
surrendered,  you,  the  two  bimbaches,  myself,  and  the  mem- 
bers of  my  family,  will  be  carried  off  as  hostages  and  hung  if 
the  prisoners  are  not  delivered  up." 


THE    PASHA    OF   ADALIA  231 

"I  heard  that,  pasha." 

"What  is  your  opinion,  colonel?  " 

"  My  opinion  is  that  you  have  no  course  but  to  give  up  the 
prisoners.  No  one  would  expect  you  to  sacrifice  the  lives  of 
the  ladies  of  your  family  and  your  children,  to  say  nothing  of 
your  own  and  ours,  merely  for  the  sake  of  twenty  shipwrecked 
sailors.  It  seems  to  me  that  it  were  madness  to  hesitate, 
pasha." 

"That  is  also  my  opinion,"  the  pasha  said.  "Therefore, 
colonel,  I  will  now  write  you  an  order  to  fetch  them  from 
prison  and  bring  them  under  an  escort  here.  You  will  under- 
stand that  it  will  be  better  that  absolute  silence  should  be 
observed  about  this  affair.  The  less  it  is  talked  of  the  better. 
If  the  officer  in  special  charge  of  them  asks  any  questions 
you  can  intimate  that,  without  knowing  it,  you  believe  that  the 
messenger  may  have  arrived  from  Smyrna  with  instructions  as 
to  their  disposal.  Dismiss  the  escort  at  the  outer  gate  and 
bring  the  prisoners  yourself  here." 

The  pasha  wrote  the  order,  which  he  handed  to  the  colonel, 
who  at  once  hurried  off  with  it. 

"You  are  sure  that  he  will  faithfully  obey  the  order,  pasha?  " 
Horace  asked  through  the  interpreter. 

The  pasha  nodded. 

"  One  of  the  bimbaches  here  is  his  own  brother,  and  he 
would  be  sure  that  his  life  would  be  sacrificed  were  there  any 
treachery." 

At  this  moment  there  was  a  little  shriek  heard. 

"  I  am  afraid,"  Horace  said,  "that  one  of  the  ladies'  attend- 
ants has  come  downstairs  and  has  been  seized.  Perhaps  you 
will  like  to  go  upstairs  and  assure  them  that  there  is  no  cause 
for  alarm.  In  the  meantime  I  will  hand  you  this  bag,  which 
contains  the  amount  of  the  ransom  in  gold." 

"You  Englishmen  act  nobly,"  the  pasha  said  as  he  took  the 
bag.  "You  had  us  in  your  power,  and  need  have  paid  noth- 
ing, and  you  treat  me  as  a  friend  rather  than  as  an  enemy.  It 
is  a  pity  that  you  fight  for  the  Greeks.  When  I  was  a  young 
man  I  fought  in  Egypt  by  the  side  of  your  troops." 


232  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

Horace  escorted  him  through  the  sailors  in  the  passages  to 
the  foot  of  the  stairs  and  there  left  him. 

"Your  scheme  is  turning  out  trumps  and  no  mistake," 
Martyn  said  as  he  returned  to  the  room.  "There  is  no  fear, 
I  hope,  of  that  Turkish  colonel  bringing  all  his  men  down 
on  us." 

"I  don't  think  so."  And  Horace  then  repeated  what  the 
pasha  had  said  as  to  one  of  the  officers  in  his  hands  being  the 
colonel's  brother. 

"That  is  good,  Horace.  I  don't  think  he  would  venture 
on  it  anyhow.  Evidently  the  pasha  has  no  fear.  If  he  had 
he  would  not  have  sent  him,  because  he  must  have  known  that 
his  treachery  jeopardized  his  own  safety  and  that  of  his 
family." 

"  How  long  do  you  think  they  will  be  before  they  are  back  ?  " 

"Not  much  above  half  an  hour,  I  should  think.  I  don't 
think  the  Turkish  soldiers  do  much  in  the  way  of  undressing, 
and  certainly  our  fellows  won't.  Now  we  will  leave  five  men 
to  look  after  the  prisoners  here,  and  we  will  put  all  the  others 
in  the  offices  you  say  look  into  the  court-yard,  so  that  if  by 
any  chance  this  fellow  does  bring  troops  down  with  him  we 
can  give  them  a  hot  reception." 

"  If  he  does,  Horace,  do  you  take  the  five  men  in  the 
house,  rush  upstairs,  let  one  man  put  a  pistol  to  the  pasha's 
head,  and  let  the  others  snatch  up  any  children  they  can  find 
there  and  take  them  away  over  the  wall — pasha  and  all — and 
march  them  straight  down  to  the  boat  and  get  them  on  board 
ship.  Let  me  know  when  you  are  off  with  them.  We  will 
defend  the  place  as  long  as  we  can,  and  then  make  a  bolt 
through  the  garden  to  the  ladder  and  follow  you." 

The  men  loaded  their  muskets  and  took  their  places  at  the 
windows  of  the  offices.  Horace  and  Martyn  stood  at  the 
door  leading  from  the  house  into  the  court-yard.  The  inter- 
preter stood  with  them.  Presently  they  heard  the  tramp  of  feet 
approaching.  Then  they  heard  a  word  of  command,  followed 
by  silence,  and  the  interpreter  said : 


THE    PASHA    OF   ADALIA  Joo 

"  He  has  ordered  the  soldiers  to  halt.  The  prisoners  alone 
are  to  enter  the  court-yard.  When  the  gates  close  behind 
them  the  soldiers  are  to  march  back  to  barracks." 

The  gates  that  had  been  left  ajar  by  the  officer  as  he  went 
out  opened,  and  in  the  moonlight  they  saw  him  enter,  followed 
by  Miller,  Tarleton,  and  the  sailors.  The  officer  himself 
closed  and  barred  the  gate  as  the  last  entered.  Then  Martyn 
and  Horace  rushed  forward  and  grasped  the  hands  of  their 
friends.  These  were  for  a  time  speechless  with  astonishment, 
but  the  men  burst  into  exclamations  and  then  began  to  cheer. 
Martyn  checked  them  at  once. 

"  Hush,  lads !  Come  in  silently  and  quietly.  We  will  talk 
and  cheer  when  we  get  away.  Pass  the  word  inside,  Horace. 
Tell  the  men  to  file  out  at  once.  Form  up  in  the  garden.  I 
will  wait  here  till  you  have  cleared  the  house." 

The  greetings  were  hearty  indeed  when  the  two  parties  met 
in  the  garden. 

"March  to  the  ladder,  lads,"  Martyn  said,  "but  don't  begin 
to  climb  it  till  we  join  you.  Now,  Horace,  we  will  say  good- 
bye to  the  old  pasha.     Bring  the  interpreter  in  with  you." 

The  pasha  had  returned  to  his  room  again  where  he  had 
been  joined  by  the  three  officers,  the  colonel  having  already 
liberated  the  other  two. 

"Tell  the  pasha  that  Captain  Martyn  wishes  to  thank  him 
for  the  promptness  with  which  the  arrangement  has  been  car- 
ried out,  and  also  to  express  to  him  his  very  great  pleasure 
that  this  incident  should  have  terminated  without  unpleasant- 
ness. Captain  Martyn  wishes  also  to  say,  that  although,  in 
order  to  rescue  his  officers  and  men,  he  was  obliged  to  use 
threats,  yet  that,  as  far  as  the  ladies  of  the  pasha's  family  were 
concerned,  they  were  threats  only;  for  that,  even  had  he 
refused,  he  should  have  respected  the  privacy  of  his  apart- 
ments; and  although  he  would  have  been  obliged  to  carry  off 
the  pasha  himself,  his  children,  and  these  officers  as  hostages, 
he  would  have  retaliated  for  the  murder  of  the  prisoners  only 
upon  the  adults.     No  English  officer  would  use  disrespect  to 


234  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

ladies,  and  no  English  officer  would  avenge  the  murder  even 
of  his  dearest  friends  upon  children." 

When  this  was  translated  to  the  pasha,  he  replied:  "The 
courtesy  that  the  captain  and  his  sailors  have  exhibited  since 
they  entered  the  house  is  in  itself  sufficient  to  show  me  that 
his  words  are  true,  and  that  the  ladies  of  my  household  would 
have  been  respected.  I  feel  myself  humiliated  by  thus  having 
my  prisoners  carried  off  from  the  midst  of  the  town,  but  I 
have  no  reason  to  complain.  It  is  the  will  of  Allah,  and  I 
shall  always  remember  these  English  officers  as  gallant  gentle- 
men. There  are  not  many  who  would  risk  their  lives  to  save 
a  few  of  their  countrymen." 

A  few  more  words  were  exchanged,  and  then  Martyn  and 
his  companions  joined  the  sailors  at  the  wall.  Miller  and 
Tarleton  had  by  this  time  gathered  from  the  men  a  short 
account  of  how  their  rescue  had  come  about. 

"Now,"  Martyn  said  briskly  when  he  reached  them,  "the 
sooner  we  are  off  the  better.  Horace,  do  you  lead  the  way 
with  ten  of  the  men  who  came  with  us;  let  the  last  two  of  that 
party  help  your  interpreter  over.  Mr.  Miller,  you  with  your 
party  will  follow.  I  will  bring  up  the  rear  with  the  other  ten 
men." 

In  five  minutes  all  were  over  the  walls.  The  last  party  had 
pulled  up  the  ladder  from  the  garden  after  them,  then  removed 
and  lowered  down  the  gangway;  and  after  Martyn,  who  came 
last,  reached  the  ditch,  the  grapnel  was  shaken  from  its  hold 
on  the  wall. 

"It  wouldn't  do  to  leave  these  things  here,"  he  said  to 
Horace.  "There  is  no  saying  what  yarn  the  pasha  may  set 
afloat.  It  is  quite  on  the  cards  that  if  he  gets  an  order  from 
Smyrna  to  execute  the  prisoners,  he  will  have  it  given  out  that 
they  were  marched  to  the  court-yard  of  his  house  and  there 
executed.  At  any  rate  our  taking  away  the  ladders  will  leave 
it  open  to  him  to  give  his  own  account  of  the  matter.  Now, 
my  lads,  you  will  all  follow  me.  It  is  of  no  use  forming  up 
in  order,  as  we  are  going  through  orchards;  but  keep  close 


THE   PASHA    OF   ADALIA  235 

together,  don't  straggle  and  don't  talk.  You  will  have  plenty 
of  time  to  compare  notes  when  you  are  once  on  board. 

"Now,  Miller,"  he  said  as  he  started,  "we  are  fairly  out  of 
it.  I  am  delighted,  indeed,  to  see  you  and  Tarleton  again. 
I  thought  at  one  time  it  was  all  up  with  you." 

"So  did  we,"  Miller  said,  "and  I  can  hardly  believe  we 
are  free  even  now." 

"  It  is  due  to  Horace  and  Zaimes,  Miller,  though  it  is  to 
Horace  entirely  that  the  credit  of  hitting  upon  the  plan  by 
which  we  have  got  you  out  belongs.  However  we  will  talk 
all  about  that  when  we  get  on  board.  You  will  have  to  tell 
your  yarn  to  the  chief;  besides,  as  I  have  told  the  men  not  to 
talk,  I  don't  want  to  set  a  bad  example." 

Horace  had  greeted  Marco  warmly  in  the  court-yard,  and 
as  soon  as  they  started  he  fell  behind  with  him,  chatting  with 
him  in  low  tones. 

"Zaimes  couldn't  come  with  us,  Marco,  for  he  and  the 
doctor  had  to  stay  on  board  with  my  father  to  look  after  some 
prisoners  there,  but  he  was  here  with  me  this  morning  and 
made  all  the  arrangements  for  the  escape.  We  landed  at  the 
mouth  of  the  bay  and  walked  here  last  night,  both  disguised 
in  peasants'  dresses  we  got  hold  of.  I  know  it  was  a  great 
privation  to  him  not  to  be  able  to  come  himself  and  aid  in 
your  rescue." 

Here  Martyn,  catching  the  murmur  of  voices,  passed  the 
word  for  silence,  and  nothing  more  was  said  until  they  reached 
the  boats  which  they  had  drawn  up  on  the  shore.  A  few  min- 
utes later  they  were  alongside  the  brigantine.  Mr.  Beveridge 
hailed  them  as  they  approached. 

"  Is  that  you,  Martyn?  " 

"Yes,  sir.  Horace's  plan  has  worked  perfectly,  and  we 
have  got  them  all  out.  The  boats  can  only  carry  half.  He  is 
waiting  with  the  rest  on  the  beach." 

"Thank  God  for  that,  Martyn!     No  one  hurt  at  all?  " 

"No  one,  not  even  a  Turk  has  been  knocked  down.  The 
only   scrimmage    has  been  with  one   of  the   pasha's  wives' 


23G  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

maids,  who  fought  like  a  wild-cat  before  two  of  our  men  could 
make  her  a  prisoner." 

Directly  the  rest  of  the  party  came  off  the  anchor  was  weighed 
and  sail  made  on  the  brigantine,  and  she  was  headed  from  the 
land.  In  half  an  hour  a  look-out  in  the  bow  called  out:  "I 
think  I  can  make  out  the  schooner  away  on  our  beam,  sir." 

"I  think  it  is  her,"  Martyn  said  after  going  forward  to  have 
a  look.     "  Light  that  red  flare-up  we  brought  with  us,  Horace." 

As  soon  as  the  red  flame  broke  out,  a  similar  signal  was 
shown  by  the  craft  in  the  distance.  The  brigantine  was  headed 
for  her,  and  the  two  vessels  rapidly  approached  each  other. 
Presently  a  hail  from  Tom  Burdett  came  across  the  water. 

"  Captain  Martyn  ahoy  !  " 

"Ay,  ay,  Tom!  We  have  got  them  all.  Everyone  is  safe 
and  well." 

A  cheer  broke  out  from  the  schooner,  which  was  answered 
by  a  louder  one  from  the  brigantine. 

"Throw  her  up  in  the  wind,  Tom,"  Martyn  shouted,  "and 
we  will  bring  this  craft  alongside." 

In  two  or  three  minutes  the  vessels  lay  side  by  side.  Before 
leaving  the  brigantine  its  crew  were  released.  Mr.  Beveridge, 
in  his  delight  at  the  success  of  the  plan,  made  them  each  a 
handsome  present  for  the  inconvenience  they  had  suffered. 
The  cobbler  of  Adalia  had  not  come  aboard  with  the  boats, 
Horace  having  given  him  his  reward  of  twenty-five  pounds 
before  embarking.  As  soon  as  the  crew  of  the  schooner  were 
all  on  board  the  head-sails  were  filled,  and  she  rapidly  drew 
away  from  the  brig.  The  boatswain  was  ordered  to  serve  out 
a  ration  of  grog  all  round,  and  the  officers  then  assembled  in 
the  cabin,  where  the  Greeks  placed  some  cold  meat  and  wine 
on  the  table,  to  which  all,  especially  Miller  and  Tarleton,  fell 
to  with  a  good  appetite.  When  they  had  done,  Martyn  told 
the  story  of  the  steps  that  had  been  taken  for  their  rescue. 

"You  see,  Miller,  it  was  entirely  Horace's  plan;  he  made 
the  whole  arrangements,  and  we  had  only  to  carry  them  out, 
which  was  the  simplest  thing  in  the  world.  Now  let  us  have 
your  account." 


THE    PASHA    OF    ADALIA  15 1 

"We  were  not  very  lucky,"  Miller  said.  "We  overhauled 
five  or  six  craft,  but  for  the  most  part  they  contained  little  of 
value.  One  or  two  of  them  had  some  silk  and  other  goods 
on  board,  and  these  were  transferred  to  the  polacca.  The 
weather  kept  fine,  and  thinking  that  our  rig  would  not  alarm 
the  Turks  we  sailed  in  within  three  miles  of  Adalia.  I  was 
intending  to  go  right  into  the  roads  and  anchor  there,  when 
we  saw  the  clouds  banking  up  to  the  south.  I  had  no  ba- 
rometer on  board,  but  it  looked  so  bad  that  we  headed  out 
again  for  the  mouth  of  the  gulf. 

"We  had  not  gone  far  when  the  gale  struck  us,  blowing  like 
fury  right  into  the  bay.  We  did  everything  we  could,  but  the 
old  tub  drifted  to  leeward  two  feet  for  every  one  we  worked 
out.  The  wind  got  higher  and  higher  till  it  was  blowing  a 
hurricane.  As  soon  as  the  water  shallowed  sufficiently  to 
anchor,  I  let  both  anchors  go:  but  the  gear  was  all  rotten,  and 
the  cables  snapped  like  packthread.  Finally  we  drove  ashore 
about  half  a  mile  to  the  east  of  the  town. 

"There  was  a  mob  there  waiting  us,  and  the  pasha  with  a 
lot  of  troops.  We  tied  a  line  to  a  keg  and  it  floated  on  shore. 
They  hauled  on  it,  and  then  we  sent  a  hawser  and  swarmed 
along  it.  The  Turks  behaved  very  pluckily,  joining  hands 
and  rushing  into  the  breakers  to  get  us  ashore.  As  soon  as 
they  saw  by  our  uniform  who  we  were  there  was  a  regular  hub- 
bub, and  I  thought  we  should  all  have  been  killed  then  and 
there.  However  the  pasha  made  the  troops  form  up  round  us, 
and  marched  us  into  the  town,  and  there  we  were  stowed  away 
in  a  room  in  that  old  castle.  The  prospect  didn't  look  good, 
for  as  we  went  in  we  saw  that  the  troops  were  in  huts  all  round 
us,  and  that  there  was  besides  a  high  wall  outside  them.  The 
window  of  the  place  we  were  shut  up  in  was  about  eight  feet 
from  the  ground  and  very  strongly  barred,  and  in  addition 
they  kept  four  soldiers  always  on  guard  in  the  room. 

"Two  or  three  fellows  came  to  us  and  spoke  in  different 
lingoes,  of  which  we  could  neither  make  head  nor  tail.  Then 
a  chap  came  who  spoke  Italian.    I  don't  know  much  of  it,  but 


238  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

enough  to  make  out  what  he  meant  when  he  spoke  very  slowly. 
The  upshot  of  it  was  that  they  had  sent  to  Smyrna  for  orders 
as  to  what  was  to  be  done,  and  that  it  would  take  five  or  six 
days  for  the  messenger  to  go  there  and  back.  It  did  not  seem 
to  make  much  odds  to  us  what  the  answer  was.  Knowing  how 
they  go  on  on  both  sides  it  was  a  moral  certainty  that  we  should 
be  hung  either  here  or  at  Smyrna,  and  it  did  not  seem  to  us 
that  there  was  much  choice  between  the  two  places. 

"Of  course  we  often  talked  about  you.  We  knew  you 
would  do  everything  you  could,  and  that  when  you  found  we 
did  not  turn  up  at  the  rendezvous  you  would  sail  along  the 
coast  till  you  got  news  of  us;  but  it  did  not  seem  likely  that 
you  could  do  anything  to  help  us.  We  knew  that  you  could 
not  land  more  than  twenty  men,  and  with  twenty  men  you 
could  do  nothing  at  all  against  about  a  thousand  Turks  with 
that  strong  wall  in  front  of  them.  Besides,  the  old  castle  itself 
was  capable  of  defence,  and  there  were  lots  of  them  stationed 
in  it.  Things  looked  about  as  black  as  they  could  be.  We 
were  not  starved;  the  Turks  gave  us  plenty  of  bread  and  a 
sort  of  thin  broth. 

"This  evening  we  stretched  ourselves  out  as  usual  about 
nine  o'clock.  We  were  all  asleep  when  the  outer  gates  of  the 
castle  were  opened,  then  there  was  a  loud  trampling  of  feet, 
then  our  door  was  unlocked.  When  an  officer  came  in,  fol- 
lowed by  a  lot  of  soldiers,  we  thought  that  it  was  all  up  with 
us.  The  officer  made  signs  that  we  were  to  go  with  him,  and 
I  made  so  certain  that  we  were  being  taken  out  either  to  be 
shot  or  hung  that  I  said  a  few  words  to  the  men,  telling  them 
that  the  end  had  evidently  come,  and  that  we  must  die  as 
Christians  and  British  sailors.  We  were  led  out,  and  about 
a  hundred  Turkish  soldiers  closed  round  us.  We  were  sur- 
prised when  they  marched  us  out  of  the  place,  but  as  we  went 
on  through  the  streets  of  the  town  we  supposed  they  were 
taking  us  to  some  quiet  spot  outside  the  walls.  Then  we 
turned  in  through  that  gateway,  and  then  you  know  the  rest, 
Marty n.     I  don't  think  that  I  am  a  coward,  or  that  I  felt 


THE   PASHA    OF    ADALIA  239 

afraid  to  die;  but  when  you  and  Horace  rushed  out  to  speak 
to  us,  you  could  have  knocked  me  over  with  a  feather.  It  was 
not  until  I  got  out  into  the  garden  and  found  your  party 
formed  up  there  that  I  was  quite  sure  it  was  not  all  a  dream." 

When  they  had  talked  over  the  rescue  Mr.  Beveridge  said : 
"Well,  we  have  had  enough  of  cruising  for  the  present;  we 
will  make  for  Athens  at  once,  Captain  Martyn;  by  this  time 
probably  something  will  be  going  on  there." 

It  was  late  in  February  when  anchor  was  dropped  in  the 
harbour  of  the  Piraeus.  Mr.  Beveridge  at  once  went  on  shore 
with  Martyn,  and  returned  the  next  morning. 

"Any  news  of  importance,  father?"  Horace  asked  as  they 
came  on  board. 

"Yes,  Hypsilantes  is  likely  to  be  succeeded  by  his  rival 
Mavrocordatos.  A  Samian  adventurer  named  Lykourgos  has 
got  together  a  fleet  and  has  proposed  a  landing  at  Chios;  there 
can  be  no  doubt  that  his  intention  is  simply  plunder,  for  even 
if  he  could  drive  the  Turks  out  of  Chios  he  could  not  possibly 
hold  the  island,  as  a  large  Turkish  fleet  will  very  shortly  be 
ready  to  sail  out  of  the  Dardanelles.  The  worst  of  it  is  that 
the  Chiots  are  utterly  opposed  to  any  movement  of  the  kind. 
They  are  an  agricultural  people,  and  the  island  has  always 
been  mildly  governed  and  lightly  taxed ;  their  municipal  ad- 
ministration is  already  in  their  own  hands,  and  their  taxes 
collected  by  themselves.  When  Admiral  Tombazes  appeared 
off  Chios  with  the  Greek  fleet  during  its  first  cruise,  the  in- 
habitants turned  a  deaf  ear  to  his  invitation  to  them  to  rise. 
In  fact  there  is  no  doubt  that  the  people  of  Chios  have  every- 
thing to  lose  and  nothing  to  gain  by  becoming  a  part  of 
Greece. 

"They  have  sent  urgent  remonstrances  against  the  landing 
of  any  Greek  troops  on  the  island,  pointing  out  that  there  is 
a  strong  body  of  Turkish  troops  there;  that  the  citadel  could 
not  be  captured,  and  that  the  attempt  would  only  inflame  the 
passions  of  the  Mohammedan  population  and  end  in  ruin  and 
disaster  to  the  Christian  inhabitants.    Hypsilantes  has  written 


240  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

a  mild  letter  to  Lykourgos  suggesting  that  it  would  at  any  rate 
be  prudent  to  defer  the  enterprise.  It  is  feared,  however, 
that,  like  Greek  commanders  in  general,  the  fellow  will  pay 
no  attention  to  this,  but  will  proceed  on  his  own  account. 
Martyn  agrees  with  me  that  it  would  be  as  well  for  us  to  cruise 
about  the  island  and  see  how  matters  go  on,  and  endeavour  to 
rescue  some  of  the  Turks  from  the  fury  of  the  Greeks,  or  some 
of  the  Greeks  from  the  fury  of  the  Turks." 

"I  should  say  the  best  thing  to  do,  father,"  Horace  said 
indignantly,  "would  be  to  attack  the  ship  of  this  fellow 
Lykourgos  and  to  hang  him  at  his  own  yard-arm." 

"It  would  be  a  good  action,  no  doubt,  Horace;  but  as  he 
has  with  him  a  fleet  of  seventy  or  eighty  vessels  it  is  probable 
that  if  we  made  the  attempt  we  should  decorate  the  yard-arms 
and  not  Lykourgos.  At  any  rate  we  will  stop  here  for  two  or 
three  days,  and  give  the  men  a  run  on  shore.  Just  at  present, 
owing  to  the  fact  of  our  having  destroyed  that  Turkish  frigate, 
they  will  be  very  popular  characters,  and  are  not  likely  to  get 
into  any  serious  row.  They  have  still  got  the  money  I  paid 
them  for  their  conduct  at  Cyprus,  and  when  sailors  have  got 
money  in  their  pockets  they  are  never  happy  until  they  have 
got  a  chance  of  spending  it." 

Accordingly,  the  crew  had  twelve  hours  on  shore,  a  third  of 
their  number  going  each  day.  On  the  fourth  day  the  vessel 
sailed  for  Chios.  They  cruised  round  the  island  for  a  fort- 
night and  frequently  overhauled  fishing-boats  and  had  conver- 
sations with  the  crews.  They  learned  that  fresh  troops  had 
lately  arrived  at  Chios,  and  that  as  these  bands  were  princi- 
pally composed  of  volunteers,  Vehid  Pasha,  the  governor,  had 
great  difficulty  in  maintaining  order  among  them.  He  had 
persuaded  the  Christians  to  raise  a  monthly  contribution  of 
thirty-four  thousand  piastres  to  give  regular  pay  and  rations 
to  the  troops  and  so  keep  them  in  a  good  temper. 

On  the  2 2d  of  March  the  schooner  made  out  a  large  fleet 
of  vessels  approaching  the  island.  They  kept  away  until  they 
saw  them  anchor,  and  then  themselves  cast  anchor  at  a  short 


THE    PASHA    OF    ADALIA  241 

distance  from  them.  A  boat  at  once  put  off  from  the  ship 
flying  the  flag  of  Lykourgos,  to  demand  who  they  were  and 
with  what  intentions  they  were  there. 

"We  fly,  as  you  see,  the  flag  of  Greece,"  Air.  Beveridge 
replied  to  the  officer,  "and  we  have  the  authority  of  the  Greek 
government  to  fight  against  its  enemies.  I  do  not,  however, 
recognize  any  authority  on  the  part  of  your  commander,  unless 
he  is  acting  at  the  present  time  under  the  explicit  orders  of 
Prince  Mavrocordatos,  who  is  now  President  of  Greece,  and 
shall  therefore  consult  only  my  own  feelings  as  to  whether  or 
not  I  take  any  part  in  the  proceedings  on  shore." 

"  Our  admiral  will  know  how  to  make  you  obey  orders,"  the 
officer  said  angrily. 

"Is  he  an  admiral?"  Air.  Beveridge  asked,  as  if  for  infor- 
mation. "  I  was  not  aware  that  he  had  received  any  commis- 
sion that  would  authorize  him  to  use  that  title  either  from  the 
last  president  or  from  the  present  one.  When  I  am  well 
assured  that  this  is  the  case  it  will  naturally  modify  my  views; 
as  to  compelling  me,  you  can  look  round  at  the  armament  of 
this  craft.  Three  months  ago  we  destroyed  a  Turkish  frigate, 
and  I  fancy  that  if  we  were  interfered  with  we  could  give  a 
good  account  of  many  of  those  vessels  anchored  there.  If, 
therefore,  Lykourgos  is  really  bent  upon  the  capture  of  Chios, 
I  should  advise  him  to  set  about  it  without  wasting  his  time 
in  meddling  with  us.  You  may  mention  to  him  that  I  am  an 
English  gentleman  who  has  fitted  up  this  vessel  for  the  pur- 
pose of  aiding  Greece  to  achieve  her  independence,  and  that 
in  all  honourable  warfare  I  am  ready  to  take  my  part.  If  I 
see  that  the  object  of  your  expedition  is  honourable  warfare 
I  shall  lend  all  assistance  in  my  power.  If  I  find  that  it  is 
merely  plunder  and  destruction,  I  shall  also  do  all  in  my  power 
to  prevent  the  Greek  flag  from  being  disgraced  by  acts  only 
worthy  of  pirates;  and,  moreover,  I  will  take  care  that  my 
countrymen  and  the  various  nations  of  Europe  shall  obtain  a 
fair  account  of   what  has  been  done  here." 

The  Greek  was  completely  cowed  by  the  calmness  and  con- 


242  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

fidence  of  the  owner  of  the  schooner,  and  returned  to  his  boat 
without  any  of  the  swagger  with  which  he  had  quitted  it. 
Horace  translated  his  father's  speech  to  Martyn  and  the  other 
two  officers  as  soon  as  Mr.  Beveridge  had  returned  to  his 
cabin. 

"The  chief  is  a  perfect  brick,"  Martyn  said  enthusiasti- 
cally. "  Fancy  sending  off  such  a  message  as  that  from  this 
schooner  to  a  fellow  commanding  sixty  or  seventy  sail.  Sir 
Richard  Grenville  could  hardly  have  sent  from  the  deck  of 
the  Revenge  a  more  defiant  message  to  the  Spanish  fleet." 

Miller  rubbed  his  hands.  "Shall  I  get  the  men  in  readiness 
for  making  sail  and  casting  off  the  guns,  Captain  Martyn?" 

"There  will  be  time  enough,"  Martyn  said,  "when  we  make 
out  a  movement  among  them.  We  can  get  up  sail  in  half  the 
time  they  can.  I  should  not  be  surprised  if  this  fellow  Ly- 
kourgos  knuckles  down.  Did  you  see  how  his  officer  came 
down  from  his  stilts?  If  this  fellow  had  any  pluck  he  would 
be  sailing  to  meet  the  Turkish  fleet  instead  of  landing  to  pil- 
lage here,  for,  from  what  Mr.  Beveridge  said,  that  can  be  his 
only  motive.  Still,  we  will  keep  a  sharp  look-out  on  them. 
If  we  see  the  flag-ship  signalling  to  the  others,  or  her  boats 
putting  off  to  them,  we  shall  know  what  to  expect.  You  may 
as  well  get  a  buoy  on  the  anchor-chain  and  have  everything 
ready  to  slip.  We  are  too  near  them  to  be  pleasant  if  they 
open  fire.  Once  under  way  and  out  of  close  range  we  can 
talk  to  them  as  we  like." 


chios  243 


CHAPTER   XIV 

CHIOS 

A  QUARTER  of  an  hour  after  the  Greek  officer  left  the 
schooner  Miller  said:  "They  are  lowering  a  large  boat 
from  the  Greek  flag-ship,  sir." 

Martyn  brought  his  glass  to  bear  upon  it. 

"There  is  a  stir  on  board,"  he  said.  "It  looks  as  if  the 
commander  were  going  on  shore," 

"Yes,  there  is  some  officer  of  importance  being  handed 
down  the  ladder.  Now  she  is  putting  off.  By  Jove !  I  be- 
lieve she  is  coming  here;  at  any  rate  she  is  heading  straight 
for  us.  Perhaps  Lykourgos  himself  is  coming  to  blow  us  out 
of  the  water." 

"Quite  as  likely  he  is  coming  to  pay  his  respects, "  Miller 
said.  "The  betting  is  ten  to  one  the  fellow  is  a  coward;  and 
that  if  the  officer  gave  the  message  as  he  got  it,  he  is  impressed 
with  the  idea  that  the  chief  is  an  Englishman  of  great  impor- 
tance, possessed,  perhaps,  of  unknown  powers  of  destruc- 
tion." 

"Horace,"  Martyn  said,  "you  had  better  tell  your  father. 
I  can  make  out  that  the  fellow  in  the  stern  is  got  up  in  gor- 
geous uniform.     I  expect  it  is  Lykourgos  himself." 

Mr.  Beveridge  came  up  on  to  the  quarter-deck  just  as  the 
boat  came  alongside.  Martyn  went  to  the  gangway  as  a  Greek 
officer  came  up  and  announced  that  Admiral  Lykourgos  had 
come  to  pay  a  visit  to  the  English  lord.  Lykourgos  mounted 
to  the  deck. 

"I  am  the  commandant  of  this  craft,  sir,"  Martyn  said. 
"This  is  Mr.  Beveridge,  the  owner." 

Lykourgos  advanced  with  an  air  of  great  pleasure  and  with 
outstretched  hand. 

"  I  am  delighted  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  an  English 
friend  of  Greece,"  he  said. 


244  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

Mr.  Beveridge  bowed  and  shook  hands  with  the  Greek. 

"What  a  contrast  there  is  between  them!"  Miller  whis- 
pered to  Horace.  "This  theatrical-looking  Greek  with  his 
oily  manners,  and  your  father  in  his  quiet  blue  serge !  Ah ! 
he  is  asking  him  to  go  down  into  the  cabin." 

The  interview  lasted  about  ten  minutes,  and  then  the  two 
men  returned  on  deck.  Lykourgos  entered  his  boat  and  rowed 
away. 

"Well,  sir,  is  it  peace  or  war?"  Marty n  asked. 

"Peace,  as  far  as  we  are  concerned,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said. 
"The  fellow  made  no  allusion  to  my  message  to  him,  paid 
me  a  large  number  of  absurd  compliments,  expressed  bound- 
less admiration  at  the  result  of  Miller's  action  with  the  frigate, 
of  which  he  had  heard,  and  hoped  that  he  would  have  our 
assistance  against  the  Turks.  I  told  him  what  I  thought  of 
his  enterprise,  and  that  he  was  bringing  destruction  upon  the 
heads  of  the  unfortunate  Christians.  He  assured  me  that  I 
had  been  misinformed,  that  the  Christians  would  join  him  to 
a  man,  and  that  he  should  make  short  work  of  the  lurks,  and 
should  at  once  besiege  them  in  their  citadel.  I  said  that  I 
wished  him  success  in  that  part  of  his  undertaking,  and  that 
there  would  be  no  time  to  waste,  as  the  Turkish  fleet  might,  I 
understood,  appear  any  day.  But  that,  if  he  undertook  siege 
operations,  and  his  own  force  proved  inadequate,  we  would 
land  a  party  to  assist  him.  He  hinted  that  money  might  be 
required  to  support  the  siege.  I  told  him  that  I  had  arranged 
with  the  central  government  that  any  assistance  I  had  to  give 
in  that  way  should  be  given  through  them ;  but  that,  if  the 
people  of  the  island  really  did  rise,  I  should  be  happy  to  fur- 
nish a  thousand  muskets  and  ammunition  for  their  use.  See- 
ing that  nothing  was  to  be  got  out  of  me  he  took  his  leave. 
He  said  the  landing  was  to  take  place  in  half  an  hour." 

"  Shall  we  send  a  party  on  shore  with  him,  Mr.  Beveridge?  " 
Martyn  asked. 

"  No,  Martyn.  He  says  he  has  got  two  thousand  five  hun- 
dred fighting  men  ready  to  land,  and  that  being  the  case  we 


chios  245 

should  be  powerless  to  interfere  in  any  way.  Besides,  for  the 
present  I  think  it  would  be  best  to  keep  the  men  on  board.  I 
don't  trust  the  fellow  in  the  slightest;  and  if  he  thought  the 
vessel  was  left  weak-handed,  he  is  perfectly  capable  of  making 
a  sudden  attack  on  her.  No  doubt  he  thinks  we  have  money 
untold  below,  and  I  should  say  a  great  proportion  of  his  vessels 
are  no  better  than  pirates,  who  have  merely  joined  him  in  the 
hope  of  booty.  I  know  that  he  has  none  of  the  Psara  ships 
with  him,  for  Chios  lies  so  near  their  island  that  they  would 
have  no  wish  to  draw  the  vengeance  of  the  Turks  upon  them- 
selves; and  I  know  that  they,  as  well  as  the  Chiots,  sent  to 
Corinth  to  protest  against  the  expedition.  I  don't  think  he 
has  any  of  the  Hydriot  ships  with  him  either.  They  only  sail 
under  their  own  admirals,  and  do,  to  a  certain  extent,  respect 
the  orders  of  the  central  government.  His  ships,  I  fancy,  all 
belong  to  the  smaller  islands,  and  are  the  sort  of  craft  that  are 
honest  traders  one  day  and  pirates  the  next  if  they  see  a 
chance — the  riffraff  of  the  islands,  in  fact.  If  they  really  do 
besiege  the  Turks  in  the  citadel,  and  I  see  that  we  can  be  of 
any  assistance,  we  will  land  a  party;  but  at  any  rate  we  will 
take  matters  quietly  until  we  see  how  things  go." 

"The  vessels  are  all  lowering  their  boats,  Captain  Martyn," 
Tarleton  reported. 

"Very  well,  Mr.  Tarleton.  Let  the  men  go  to  their  quar- 
ters, unloose  the  guns  and  load  with  grape.  It  is  quite  upon 
the  cards  that  these  fellows  may  make  a  sudden  dash  upon  us, 
thinking  to  catch  us  napping." 

The  boatswain's  whistle  was  heard,  and  then  Tom  Burdett 
shouted  out:  "All  hands  to  quarters!  Cast  loose  the  guns 
and  load  with  grape  !  "  And  in  a  moment  a  scene  of  animated 
bustle  succeeded  the  quiet  that  had  reigned  on  board  the 
schooner  since  her  anchor  had  been  dropped.  In  a  few  min- 
utes, however,  the  crowded  boats  left  the  ships  and  rowed 
towards  shore. 

"That  will  do,  boatswain;  you  can  call  the  men  away  from 
the  gums,"  said  Martyn. 


246  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

"Shall  we  take  the  cartridges  out,  sir?  " 

"No,  leave  them  as  they  are.  Put  a  fold  or  two  of  sail- 
cloth over  the  touch-holes.  It  is  just  as  well  to  be  on  guard 
as  long  as  we  are  in  the  neighbourhood  of  these  slippery  gentry. 
Horace,  you  take  my  glass  and  go  aloft,  and  see  if  you  can 
make  out  any  Turks  in  the  neighbourhood.  It  is  four  or  five 
hours  since  the  Greek  fleet  first  hove  in  sight,  and  there  is 
ample  time  for  the  Turks  to  have  come  down  to  oppose  their 
landing  if  they  thought  themselves  strong  enough  to  fight  in 
the  open." 

Horace  ascended  the  shrouds,  and  sitting  on  the  cap  of  the 
mainmast  examined  the  shore. 

"There  are  half  a  dozen  horsemen  riding  about,  a  short 
distance  from  the  shore,  sir,"  he  called  down,  "but  I  can  see 
no  signs  of  troops  anywhere." 

"Then  it  is  evident  they  don't  mean  to  fight,"  Martyn  said 
to  the  first  lieutenant.  "Between  ourselves,  Miller,  I  am  very 
glad  they  are  not  here  to  oppose  a  landing;  for  if  they  had 
been,  no  doubt  the  chief  would  have  wanted  to  fire  a  few 
shots  to  help  cover  the  operations,  and  I  should  be  sorry  to 
lift  even  a  finger  to  help  in  this  wretched  business.  It  is  like 
a  landing  from  one  of  the  old  buccaneer  fleets  on  the  Spanish 
Main.  They  used  to  pretend  they  went  to  attack  the  Span- 
iards, while  in  reality  they  simply  fought  for  plunder.  Still, 
those  fellows  had  courage — plenty  of  it,  which  is  more,  I 
fancy,  than  these  Greeks  are  likely  to  exhibit  when  they  once 
get  in  front  of  the  Turks." 

Lykourgos,  with  his  twenty-five  hundred  men,  marched 
without  opposition  into  the  town  of  Chios,  where  they  burnt 
the  custom-houses,  destroyed  two  mosques,  and  plundered 
generally  the  houses  of  the  inhabitants.  They  occupied  the 
houses  nearest  the  citadel,  and  placing  riflemen  in  them 
opened  fire,  while  a  party  began  to  throw  up  a  battery  on  a 
commanding  position  known  as  Turloti. 

The  following  morning  Mr.  Beveridge  landed,  and,  accom- 
panied by  Miller  and  Horace,  and  a  party  of  twenty  sailors 


chios  247 

armed  with  rifle,  cutlass,  and  pistol,  proceeded  to  Chios.  He 
found  the  streets  of  the  town  in  disorder,  the  troops — or 
rather  the  armed  men,  for  they  were  under  neither  discipline 
nor  control — were  wandering  about,  occasionally  going  within 
sight  of  the  citadel,  and  discharging  their  muskets  two  or 
three  times  in  that  direction.  They  looked  with  surprise  at 
the  orderly  little  party  of  British  sailors;  but  as  they  supposed 
these  had  come  to  help  them,  they  received  them  with  excla- 
mations of  good-will.  They  visited  Turloti,  where  a  score  or 
two  of  men  were  working  lazily,  and  then  went  down  to  the 
port,  where  another  battery  had  also  been  begun. 

"What  on  earth  are  they  putting  up  a  battery  here  for!" 
Miller  said.  "At  this  distance  they  might  as  well  fire  pota- 
toes at  the  citadel.  Ask  that  officer,  Horace,  what  they  are 
up  to?" 

The  Greek  replied  that  they  were  going  to  run  their  trenches 
forward  against  the  citadel  from  this  point. 

"Well,  then,  they  are  fonder  of  work  than  I  gave  them 
credit  for,"  Miller  said  when  he  understood  the  reply.  "If 
the  whole  of  them  were  to  set  to  work  in  earnest,  it  would  take 
them  a  month  to  run  their  trenches  from  here  up  to  the 
citadel,  and,  at  the  rate  at  which  they  are  working  now,  it 
would  take  them  a  couple  of  years." 

Returning  to  the  town  Mr.  Beveridge  called  upon  Lykourgos, 
who  had  taken  up  his  quarters  in  the  bishop's  palace.  The 
Greek  received  him  with  an  air  of  much  greater  pomposity 
than  he  had  shown  at  their  first  meeting.  He  evidently 
believed  that  the  work  was  almost  accomplished,  and  that  he 
was  already  the  conqueror  of  the  island. 

"I  have  been  doing  some  good  work  this  morning,"  he 
said.  "  I  have  deposed  the  Demogeronts  (the  Municipal 
Council).  You  know  they  were  poor  creatures  and  lukewarm, 
and  I  have  appointed  a  Revolutionary  Committee." 

"Indeed!"  Mr.  Beveridge  said  gravely.  "And  what  mili- 
tary work  have  you  in  hand?  It  seems  to  me  that  the  men 
would  be  much  better  employed  in  working  at  the  batteries 
than  in  idling  about  the  streets." 


248  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

"The  citadel  will  soon  fall,"  Lykourgos  said  loftily.  "Cut 
off  from  all  succour  and  surrounded  by  my  army  they  must 
speedily  surrender." 

"Undoubtedly  they  must,  if  they  were  so  situated,"  Mr. 
Beveridge  said;  "but,  so  far  as  I  see,  there  is  nothing  what- 
ever to  prevent  the  Turks  from  sending  reinforcements  from 
the  mainland." 

"  I  am  writing  to  ask  the  government  at  Corinth  to  order 
the  fleet  here  to  blockade  the  island  and  oppose  the  Turkish 
fleet  when  they  come  in  sight." 

"That  would  be  excellent,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said;  "but  the 
central  government  are  not  famous  for  speed,  nor  are  the  ships 
of  Hydra  and  Psara  very  apt  to  obey  orders  unless  these  hap- 
pen to  suit  their  own  views.  Could  you  not  send  a  few  of 
those  vessels  of  yours  to  prevent  the  Turks  from  sending 
reinforcements?  " 

"That  would  be  quite  impossible,"  Lykourgos  said  decid- 
edly. "  In  the  first  place,  they  are  mere  transports,  the  greater 
proportion  carrying  no  guns,  and  those  that  do  have  guns  of 
such  light  calibre  that  they  could  not  oppose  the  Turkish 
cruisers  that  would  no  doubt  convoy  any  vessels  bringing 
Turkish  troops  across.  In  the  second  place,  I  could  not 
spare  a  ship,  for,  were  the  Turkish  fleet  to  arrive  before  the 
Greek  fleet  comes  to  my  assistance,  I  should  have  to  re-embark 
my  army  at  once.  I  shall  soon  be  in  a  position  to  press  the 
siege  more  vigorously.  I  have  already  received  messages 
saying  the  peasantry  among  the  hills  are  about  to  join  me." 

Mr.  Beveridge,  seeing  that  there  was  no  prospect  of  any 
vigorous  efforts  to  restore  discipline  among  the  Greeks, 
returned  to  the  schooner.  Day  after  day  passed  and  nothing 
whatever  was  done.  A  few  soldiers,  when  the  fancy  took 
them,  worked  for  an  hour  or  two  at  the  batteries,  or  fired  away 
their  ammunition  in  the  direction  of  the  citadel.  Neither 
Lykourgos  nor  his  committee  made  any  attempt  to  introduce 
either  discipline  among  the  troops  or  order  in  the  town. 

No  news  came  from  Corinth  as  to  the  movements  of  the 


chios  249 

Greek  fleet,  but  a  vessel  arrived  with  a  few  heavy  guns  for 
siege  purposes,  and  also  brought  several  Philhellenes — as  for- 
eigners who  had  come  to  assist  the  Greeks  were  called — to 
direct  the  service  of  the  guns. 

In  consequence  of  the  disorder  in  the  town  the  position  of 
the  better  class  of  Christians  became  intolerable.  Mr.  Bever- 
idge  landed  but  seldom.  He  saw  that  nothing  could  be  done, 
and  that  the  expedition  must  certainly  end  in  disaster,  and 
accordingly  preferred  to  remain  on  board  and  await  events. 

Two  of  the  officers  generally  landed  every  day.  Some  of 
the  men  were  also  allowed  to  go  on  shore,  but  were  forbidden 
to  approach  the  neighbourhood  of  the  town  lest  they  should 
become  involved  in  quarrels  with  the  Greeks.  One  day,  when 
Horace  was  ashore  with  Tarleton,  he  spoke  sharply  to  a 
drunken  Greek  soldier  who  ran  against  him.  Presently  Tarle- 
ton said : 

"There  has  been  a  Greek  following  us  since  you  spoke  to 
that  drunken  man,  Horace.  He  looks  a  respectable  old  card. 
I  fancy  he  wants  to  speak  to  you,  having  heard  you  talking 
Greek." 

"Why  doesn't  he  speak  then?"  Horace  said. 

"Perhaps  he  wants  to  talk  to  you  in  quiet,  Horace." 

"  Very  well.  Let  us  turn  down  this  narrow  street.  There 
is  no  one  about,  and  that  will  give  him  a  chance  of  speaking 
if  he  wants  to." 

The  Greek,  indeed,  quickened  his  steps  as  soon  as  they 
turned  down,  and  was  soon  alongside  of  them. 

"You  speak  Greek,  sir?"  he  said  to  Horace.  "I  have 
been  wanting  to  speak  to  some  of  you  officers,  but  this  is  the 
first  time  I  have  heard  one  of  you  speaking  Greek." 

"Yes,  I  speak  the  language.  Is  there  anything  I  can  do 
for  you,  sir?  " 

"  I)o  you  belong  to  an  English  ship-of-war,  may  I  ask?  " 

"No;  I  belong  to  an  armed  ship,  which  is  the  property  of 
my  father,  who  is  a  Philhellene,  and  has  fitted  it  out  at  his 
own  expense  for  the  service  of  Greece,  whose  flag  we  now  fly." 


250  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

"Your  sailors  are  taking  no  part  in  the  siege  of  the  cita- 
del?" 

"  No,  sir.  My  father  does  not  think  the  expedition  a 
useful  one,  and  we  are  only  remaining  here  to  see  what  takes 
place,  and  perhaps  to  give  assistance  to  any  who  may  need  it." 

"We  all  need  it,  sir,"  the  man  said  eagerly.  "We  have 
been  robbed  and  plundered  by  these  ruffians,  who  call  them- 
selves our  friends,  and  when  they  run  away,  which  they  will 
do  directly  the  Turks  come,  we  shall  be  held  responsible  for 
all  their  misdeeds,  and  a  terrible  vengeance  will  fall  upon  us. 
I  was  a  wealthy  man,  sir,  a  fortnight  ago;  now  I  would  give 
all  I  possess  to  save  the  lives  of  my  family  and  myself,  and 
there  are  eight  or  ten  of  my  friends  in  the  same  position.  We 
have  jewels  and  money,  and  are  ready  to  pay  any  sum  to  be 
taken  off  the  island  before  the  Turks  come.  You  have  but  to 
name  a  price,  and  if  it  is  within  our  means  we  shall  be  happy 
to  pay  it." 

"We  are  not  Greeks,"  Horace  said  angrily,  "to  make 
money  out  of  the  miseries  of  others."  And  then,  seeing  the 
depressed  look  of  the  merchant,  he  went  on  more  mildly: 
"We  do  not  wish  to  make  money  out  of  your  misfortune,  sir; 
but  I  will  speak  to  my  father,  and  I  think  I  can  answer  for 
him  that  he  will  be  ready  to  afford  you  and  your  friends  and 
families  shelter  on  board  his  ship.  We  lately  took  five  hun- 
dred Christians  off  from  Cyprus  and  landed  them  on  the 
Ionian  Isles.  We  came  out  to  fight,  but  my  father  has  since 
named  his  ship  the  Misericordia,  and  his  desire  is  to  help 
persons  in  distress,  whether  they  be  Turks  or  Christians.  I 
will  speak  to  him  when  I  return  on  board,  and  if  you  will  be 
here  to-morrow  at  eleven  o'clock  in  the  morning  I  will  give 
you  his  answer." 

The  merchant  overwhelmed  Horace  with  thanks. 

"What  is  the  old  chap  so  excited  about,  Horace?"  Tarle- 
ton  asked  as  they  resumed  their  walk. 

Horace  repeated  the  conversation. 

"Poor  beggars!"  Tarleton  said.     "A  nice  position  they 


chios  251 

are  in!  I  wish  we  had  the  crew  of  a  man-of-war  here;  we 
would  clear  out  the  town  pretty  sharply  of  these  ruffians  who 
call  themselves  soldiers,  and  send  these  peasants  who  are 
swarming  about  the  streets  back  to  their  mountains.  I  see 
they  have  got  the  muskets  your  father  sent  on  shore  yesterday. 
Much  good  will  they  do  them !  The  men  had  far  better  be 
at  home  looking  after  their  vineyards  and  orchards." 

Mr.  Beveridge  agreed  at  once  to  afford  shelter  to  the  mer- 
chants and  their  families. 

"I  thought  it  would  come  to  this,"  he  said,  " and  expected 
some  of  them  would  come  off  and  ask  to  be  taken  on  board 
before ;  but  I  suppose  they  did  not  know  our  real  character. 
We  shall  have  plenty  more  applying  before  this  matter  is  con- 
cluded; but  I  doubt  whether  Lykourgos  and  his  crew  will 
allow  them  to  come  on  board  so  long  as  they  have  a  penny 
left  to  be  wrung  out  of  them.  The  scoundrel  ought  to  be 
hung,  if  it  was  only  for  being  named  as  he  is.  It  is  down- 
right profanation  to  hear  such  names  as  Ulysses,  Lycurgus, 
Leonidas,  and  Miltiades  applied  to  men  who  do  not  seem  to 
possess  one  single  good  quality,  not  even  that  of  courage. 
Tell  them,  Horace,  that  we  will  carry  out  any  arrangements 
for  getting  them  off  that  they  may  suggest,  and  that  at  any 
hour  by  night  or  day  the  boats  shall  be  at  the  spot  they 
appoint,  and  that  a  strong  body  of  men  shall  be  sent  on  shore 
to  cover  their  embarkation." 

Martyn  himself  accompanied  Horace  the  next  morning  to 
shore,  as  he  thought  it  would  be  better  that  he  should  hear 
what  were  the  plans  of  the  merchant,  and  might  be  able  to 
make  suggestions  as  to  their  being  carried  out.  The  Chris- 
tian merchant  was  awaiting  them.  When  they  approached  he 
entered  the  house  by  the  door  of  which  he  was  standing,  and 
invited  them  also  to  enter. 

"I  know  the  owner  of  this  house,"  he  said,  "and  arranged 
with  him  to  have  a  room  where  we  could  speak  undisturbed. 
Did  any  of  the  officers  or  soldiers  happen  to  come  down  the 
lane  when  I  was  speaking  to  you,  suspicion  would  be  at  once 


252  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

roused  that  some  plot  or  other  was  on  foot.  Well,  sir,  what  is 
your  father's  answer?  " 

"  He  cordially  invites  you  and  your  friends  and  their  families 
to  take  refuge  on  board  his  vessel,  and  he  will  land  you  at 
Athens,  Corinth,  or  in  the  Ionian  Isles,   as  you  may  desire." 

The  Greek  clasped  his  hands  in  delight.  "  Oh,  sir,  you  can- 
not tell  what  a  load  you  have  taken  off  my  mind,  or  what  we 
have  been  suffering  of  late,  with  the  certainty  that  ere  long 
the  Turks  will  return." 

"This  is  Captain  Martyn,  who  commands  the  vessel,"  Hor- 
ace said ;  "  he  has  come  ashore  to  concert  measures  for  getting 
you  on  board,  that  is,  if  you  think  that  there  will  be  any  ob- 
stacle in  the  way  of  your  coming  off  openly." 

"  Certainly  there  will.  I  am  sure  they  would  not  allow  us 
to  leave.  Three  of  my  friends  went  to  Lykourgos  yesterday 
and  said  they  desired  to  go  with  their  families  on  board  the 
Greek  ships.  He  got  into  a  fury  and  threatened  to  have  them 
thrown  into  prison  as  traitors,  fined  them  a  thousand  piastres 
each,  and  said  that  anyone  leaving  the  island  would  be  deemed 
a  traitor  to  the  cause  of  Greece  and  all  his  property  confis- 
cated." 

Horace  translated  this  to  Martyn. 

"Then  they  must  get  off  quietly,  Horace;  ask  him  if  they 
have  formed  any  plans.  Tell  him  that  I  will  land  thirty  men 
and  bring  them  up  close  to  the  town,  if  they  can  slip  off  and 
join  us." 

Horace  put  the  question. 

"We  were  talking  it  over  last  night,"  the  merchant  said; 
"it  is  not  easy,  because  we  all  have  men  who  call  themselves 
officers  quartered  in  our  houses.  We  think  that  the  best  way 
will  be  for  our  daughters  and  servants,  with  the  exception  of 
one  or  two,  to  slip  off  as  soon  as  it  becomes  dark,  going  in 
pairs  and  carrying  with  them  all  the  valuables  they  can.  We 
ourselves  and  our  wives  will  remain  for  two  or  three  hours,  so 
that  the  men  seeing  us  will  suspect  nothing.  Some  of  our 
servants,  after  escorting  the  ladies  and  children  beyond  the 


CHIOS  -06 

town,  can  return  and  take  with  them  another  load.  It  would 
not  do  to  take  large  bundles,  but  the  men  can  carry  casks  or 
barrels  on  their  shoulders  filled  with  valuable  clothes  and 
stuffs,  and  as  there  would  be  nothing  unusual  in  a  man  carry- 
ing a  cask  of  wine  or  a  barrel  of  flour,  they  might  pass  without 
exciting  suspicion.  Then,  at  the  moment  agreed,  we  our- 
selves might  slip  away  and  join  the  rest." 

"That  seems  a  likely  plan,"  Martyn  said  when  he  under- 
stood the  details.  "Now  it  is  for  them  to  name  some  spot 
where  we  can  be  awaiting  them." 

"We  have  arranged  that,"  the  Chiot  said.  "One  of  my 
friends  has  a  large  farm-house  where  he  and  his  family  take 
up  their  residence  in  summer;  it  stands  half  a  mile  from  the 
town,  on  the  brow  looking  down  upon  the  sea;  it  is  a  white 
house  with  two  large  store-houses  for  wine  and  produce  stand- 
ing behind  it." 

"I  know  the  house,"  Horace  said;  "the  road  passes  a  hun- 
dred yards  behind  it." 

"That  is  the  house,  sir.  It  will  be  dark  by  seven  o'clock, 
and  at  that  hour  our  servants  will  begin  to  start.  It  is  prob- 
able that  most  of  the  children  will  be  sent  on  there  during  the 
day.  This  could  certainly  be  done  without  exciting  atten- 
tion. We  ourselves  will  leave  our  houses  as  the  clock  strikes 
ten." 

"I  should  think,  Martyn,"  Horace  said  when  he  had  trans- 
lated this,  "that  we  might  manage  to  make  things  more  easy 
for  them  if  we  send  Marco  on  shore  with  half  a  dozen  men 
directly  we  get  back  to  the  ship.  We  can  tell  him  to  hire  a 
couple  of  carts  and  then  to  come  to  these  people's  houses.  At 
one  they  could  take  into  the  carts  a  dozen  barrels  of  wine, 
that  is  to  say,  wine  barrels  filled  with  valuables;  at  another  a 
dozen  barrels  of  flour,  at  another  a  cask  of  currants  or  olives, 
and  so  on.  I  will  go  round  with  them,  and  it  will  merely 
seem  as  if  we  were  buying  stores  for  the  ship.  These  rich 
merchants  are  certain  to  have  the  best  of  everything,  and  it 
will  be  natural  that  we  should  choose  a  time  like  the  present 


254  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

to  lay  in  a  stock,  and  that  they  would  be  glad  to  sell  cheaply. 
Marco  and  half  the  men  could  go  with  one  cart  and  I  could 
go  with  the  rest  with  the  other.  That  way  we  should  attract 
less  attention  than  by  both  going  about  in  a  crowd." 

"I  think  that  is  a  capital  plan,  Horace;  explain  it  to  him, 
and  get  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  people  who  are  going 
and  the  houses  that  each  cart  should  go  to,  so  that  they  may 
not  cross  each  other  on  the  way." 

Horace  explained  the  matter  to  the  merchant. 

"That  is  kind  indeed,"  he  exclaimed,  "and  will  enable  us 
to  save  all  our  most  precious  goods  without  fear  of  detection. 
I  will  go  round  at  once  to  my  friends  and  tell  them  to  pack 
up  their  things.  There  are  ten  of  us  who  have  agreed  to  make 
the  attempt  together,  which  will  make  five  houses  for  each 
cart  to  call  at."  And  taking  out  his  pocket-book  he  wrote  the 
addresses  on  two  slips  of  paper. 

There  was  nothing  more  to  arrange. 

"  It  will  take  us  an  hour  and  a  half  to  get  on  board,"  Hor- 
ace said.  "That  will  be  one  o'clock.  At  two  we  will  start, 
and  you  may  expect  the  carts  to  be  at  the  houses  somewhere 
about  four." 

He  and  Martyn  walked  briskly  back  to  the  landing-place, 
where  a  boat  met  them,  having  put  off  as  soon  as  they  were 
seen  approaching.  Mr.  Beveridge  warmly  approved  of  the 
plan,  and  at  two  o'clock  ten  sailors  were  landed.  Zaimes 
as  well  as  Marco  accompanied  them,  and  Miller  also  went  to 
take  charge  of  one  party,  as  it  was  thought  that  they  were  less 
likely  to  be  questioned  if  an  officer  went  with  them.  They 
stopped  at  a  farm-house  by  the  way  and  hired  two  carts.  It 
was  arranged  that  the  two  Greeks  should  purchase  in  the  town 
several  carcasses  of  sheep  and  a  quantity  of  fruit  and  vege- 
tables to  place  on  the  carts  with  the  other  goods,  so  as  to  carry 
out  more  completely  the  idea  that  they  were  laying  in  stores  for 
consumption  on  board,  and  on  their  way  Zaimes  suggested 
they  should  also  get  a  small  cask  or  two  of  currants  and  a  cask 
of  wine  for  each  cart.     In  packing  the  goods  these  should  be 


CHIOS  lOO 

placed  most  conspicuously,  so  that  if  necessary  they  could 
knock  in  the  head  of  the  cask  with  currants,  or  bore  holes 
in  that  with  the  wine,  and  show  that  the  contents  were  what 
they  seemed  to  be. 

The  operation  was  carried  out  without  difficulty.  At  each 
place  they  visited,  casks  and  barrels  were  at  once  rolled  out 
from  the  warehouses  and  placed  in  the  carts.  There  had  evi- 
dently been  an  arrangement  between  the  various  families  as  to 
quantity,  and  by  the  time  the  last  houses  were  visited  the  carts 
were  filled  to  their  full  capacity,  and  the  meat,  vegetables, 
and  fruit  piled  on  the  top  of  all.  There  was  some  joking  from 
the  soldiers  as  the  carts  passed  down  the  streets,  but  the  sight 
of  the  meat  and  vegetables  dispelled  any  suspicions,  and  the 
Greeks  joked  back  in  return.  Neither  party  knew  how  the 
other  was  getting  on,  as  they  had  not  caught  sight  of  each 
other  after  separating  before  entering  the  town.  Horace  was 
first  to  reach  the  spot,  a  mile  out,  where  they  had  agreed  that 
whichever  came  first  should  await  the  other.  In  ten  minutes 
the  second  party  was  seen  coming  in  the  distance,  and  when 
it  arrived  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  Horace  moved  forward 
again. 

Tarleton  with  the  three  largest  boats  was  awaiting  their 
coming  on  the  beach  abreast  of  the  schooner,  and  by  the  time 
the  contents  of  the  first  cart  were  transferred  to  the  boats  the 
second  arrived.  As  soon  as  everything  was  on  board  the  drivers 
of  the  carts  were  paid  the  sum  agreed  upon,  and  the  boats 
rowed  off  to  the  schooner. 

"Have  you  had  any  difficulty?  "  Mr.  Beveridge  asked  as 
they  came  alongside. 

"Not  the  slightest,  father,"  Horace  replied.  "We  were 
chaffed  a  little  about  our  stores,  but  no  one  had  the  least  sus- 
picion that  they  were  not  what  they  seemed." 

The  casks  were  soon  got  on  board  and  were  slung  down 
into  the  hold. 

"What  do  you  suppose  they  contain,  father?"  Horace 
asked. 


256  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

"Well,  of  course  all  their  jewels  and  money  are  in  them, 
and  no  doubt  all  their  valuable  dresses.  I  expect  that  the 
bulk  is  made  up  of  silk  and  brocades,  most  of  which  is  ex- 
tremely costly.  Then  there  will  be  embroidered  stuffs,  some 
of  the  more  valuable  of  which  are  worth  almost  a  fortune  in 
themselves.  Chios  is  an  extremely  rich  island  and  its  revenues 
are  a  special  appanage  of  the  Sultan  and  his  harem,  and 
doubtless  the  merchants  here  supply  the  ladies  of  the  court 
with  many  of  their  most  valued  robes  and  embroideries." 

While  the  boats  had  been  ashore  the  sailors  had  again  rigged 
up  the  screen  across  the  main-deck  for  the  use  of  the  ladies 
and  children,  and  had  also  made  a  smaller  compartment  for 
the  use  of  the  merchants.  "There  is  one  comfort,"  Miller 
said,  "  as  these  people  are  swells  they  are  not  likely  to  turn 
the  ship  into  such  a  pig-stye  as  that  last  lot  did.  How  many 
do  you  suppose  there  will  be,  Horace?  " 

"  1  suppose  they  will  run  seven  or  eight  to  a  family,  that  is 
seventy-five,  and  likely  enough  they  may  bring  five  or  six  men 
and  women  servants  with  each  family;  so  I  suppose  you  may 
calculate  on  a  hundred  and  fifty,  Miller." 

"Ah!  well,  we  can  manage  that.  I  should  like  to  see  the 
face  of  that  fellow  Lykourgos  to-morrow  morning  when  he 
finds  that  some  of  the  men  out  of  whom  he  had  expected  to 
make  most  money  have  slipped  through  his  fingers." 

As  soon  as  it  became  dark  thirty  men  were  landed,  armed 
to  the  teeth.  Miller  took  command,  and  Horace  accompa- 
nied him  with  the  two  Greeks  to  assist  to  look  after  the  fugi- 
tives. When  they  reached  the  farm-house  they  found  about 
thirty  young  children  with  their  nurses  assembled  there  with 
some  eight  or  ten  older  girls.  They  were  evidently  in  a  state 
of  great  alarm,  but  their  spirits  rose  when  Horace  and  the 
Greeks  entered  and  told  them  that  a  guard  of  English  sailors 
were  without  and  that  there  was  no  longer  a  fear  of  their  being 
discovered  by  any  straggling  soldiers  who  might  chance  to 
visit  the  house.  In  a  short  time  the  servants,  accompanied 
by  young  women  and  boys,  began  to  arrive.     Most  of  them 


CHIOS  ZOi 

carried  bundles,  and  their  bulky  appearance  suggested  that 
they  had  put  on  a  large  quantity  of  clothes  under  the  plain 
dresses  they  wore.  The  men  all  carried  barrels  or  boxes. 
These  all  returned  to  the  town  and  came  back  by  half-past 
nine  with  another  load. 

Some  excellent  wine  was  served  out  to  the  sailors  by  the 
man  who  was  in  charge  of  the  house,  who  told  Horace  that 
he  had  received  orders  from  his  master  that  the  sailors  were 
to  carry  away  as  many  barrels  of  wine  as  they  could  take  for 
the  use  of  the  schooner;  and  as  it  was  certain  that  its  owner 
would  never  have  an  opportunity  of  drinking  it,  Horace  did 
not  hesitate  to  accept  the  present,  and  thirty  barrels  of  wine, 
each  containing  about  five  gallons,  were  brought  out  and  placed 
in  readiness  for  the  sailors  to  take  up. 

"'What  are  you  going  to  do  about  your  loads?"  Horace 
asked  one.of  the  servants. 

"We  have  orders,  sir,  to  carry  one  of  them  as  we  go  with 
you,  and  then  when  the  others  go  off  to  the  ship  to  return  here 
for  the  second,  if  you  will  consent  to  our  doing  so." 

"Certainly,"  Horace  said.  "There  can  be  no  possible 
objection  to  that,  providing  we  all  get  down  to  the  beach 
without  any  alarm  being  given,  and  of  that  I  do  not  think 
there  is  any  likelihood.  The  soldiers  will  have  all  returned 
to  their  quarters  before  this.  The  only  chance  is  of  our  com- 
ing across  parties  of  sailors  returning  to  their  ships.  None  of 
these  would  be  strong  enough  to  interfere  with  us,  and  even 
if  they  reported  the  matter  when  they  got  on  board,  I  should 
say  that  none  of  the  captains  would  feel  sufficient  interest 
in  the  news  to  take  any  steps  about  it." 

Soon  after  ten  o'clock  the  merchants  with  their  wives  and 
grown-up  sons  began  to  arrive,  and  by  half-past  the  last  of 
the  party  were  in.  No  further  time  was  lost.  Fifteen  of  the 
sailors,  each  with  a  barrel  of  wine  on  his  shoulder,  led  the 
way  under  Lieutenant  Miller.  The  merchants  and  their 
families  followed,  then  came  the  servants  with  Horace  and 
the  rest  of  the  sailors  as  rear-guard.     The  road  was  entirely 


258  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

deserted,  and  they  reached  the  shore  without  encountering  a 
single  person.  As  soon  as  they  did  so,  Horace  told  the  ser- 
vant men  to  set  down  their  burdens  and  start  back  at  once. 
The  merchants  with  their  wives  and  families  were  first  trans- 
ferred to  the  schooner,  the  sailors  on  shore  taking  charge  of 
the  rest  of  the  fugitives  and  the  baggage.  Another  trip  con- 
veyed the  remaining  Chiots  to  the  vessel.  When  the  boats 
returned  the  casks  and  barrels  of  wine  were  placed  on  board, 
and  the  sailors  then  took  their  places  and  rowed  off.  Horace 
found  that  the  first  party  had  already  retired.  Hammocks  had 
been  slung  for  the  women  and  children,  the  female  attendants 
sleeping  on  the  deck.  The  merchants  and  their  sons  occu- 
pied a  compartment  screened  off  for  them.  The  men-servants 
coiled  themselves  away  between  the  guns  on  deck. 

The  two  Greeks  had  gone  off  in  the  first  boat,  and  already 
prepared  some  supper,  to  which  Martyn  and  Horace  sat  down. 

"I  did  not  wait  for  you,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said,  "as  f  knew 
that  it  must  be  half-past  eleven  by  the  time  you  reached  the 
shore,  and  another  good  half-hour  before  you  were  off.  Poor 
people!  their  gratitude  was  quite  distressing;  the  men  con- 
sidered that  it  was  certain  they  would  be  massacred  by  the 
Turks,  and  their  women  carried  off  as  slaves.  I  was  obliged 
at  last  in  self-defence  to  pack  them  off  to  bed.  The  women 
all  wanted  to  kiss  my  hand,  which  would  have  been  well 
enough  for  you  young  fellows,  for  some  of  the  girls  are  lovely. 
The  Chiots  are  celebrated  for  their  good  looks ;  but  for  a  man 
my  age  it  would  have  been  simply  embarrassing." 

"Perhaps  they  will  renew  the  demonstrations  to-morrow," 
Miller  laughed.  "If  so,  I  shall  get  Horace  to  explain  to 
them  delicately  that  our  English  custom  is  to  salute  on  the 
face  and  not  on  the  hand.  I  did  not  see  any  of  the  girls.  I 
left  it  to  Horace  to  do  the  polite  indoors,  while  I  kept  a  look- 
out with  the  men  outside.  I  don't  know  whether  he  came  in 
for  any  kisses;  if  so,  he  kept  it  to  himself." 

"No,"  Horace  laughed.  "They  were  all  too  anxious  about 
their  parents'  safety  to  think  of  doing  the  civil  thing  to  me; 


A    WHITE    SQUALL  259 

but,  as  you  say,  Martyn,  there  will  be  time  enough  to-morrow 
when  we  see  what  they  are  like.  I  expect  to-morrow  we  shall 
have  Lykourgos  or  some  of  his  officers  off  here  to  protest." 

"That  we  sha'n't,"  Martyn  said,  "for  we  will  get  up  the 
anchor  at  daybreak  and  be  off  before  anyone  knows  what  has 
happened.  Your  father  agrees  with  me  that  the  best  plan  will 
be  to  get  rid  of  this  cargo  at  once,  and  then  we  can  come  back 
again  for  another." 

"I  have  asked  them  where  they  would  like  to  be  landed," 
Mr.  Beveridge  said,  "and  they  had  already  agreed  among 
themselves  to  go  to  Corfu.  In  the  first  place  they  have  no 
love  for  the  Greeks  of  the  mainland,  with  whom  they  are 
furious  for  bringing  destruction  upon  the  island  by  coming 
here  without  a  sufficient  force  to  hold  the  citadel  even  if  they 
captured  it,  and  they  would  vastly  rather  be  landed  under  the 
protection  of  the  British  flag.  They  will  have  time  to  settle 
afterwards  where  thev  will  make  their  homes." 


CHAPTER   XV 

A    WHITE    SQUALL 

\  LL  hands  were  called  at  five  o'clock,  when  daylight  was 
A  *■  beginning  to  break  in  the  east;  the  anchor  was  got  up, 
sail  set,  and  the  decks  washed  down,  the  usual  scrubbing 
being  for  once  omitted  in  order  to  avoid  disturbing  their 
passengers. 

"What  are  we  going  to  do  about  feeding  them,  Miller?" 
Horace  asked.  "  It  was  all  very  well  for  the  people  we  had 
on  board  before  to  get  their  meals  anyhow  they  could,  but 
these  have  been  accustomed  to  wealth  and  luxury,  and,  as  the 
leading  merchants  of  Chios,  were  people  of  importance." 

"Your  father  and  the  two  Greeks  were  talking  it  over  yester- 


2G0  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

day  evening  before  you  landed,  Horace.  Of  course  it  is  out 
of  the  question  that  they  could  all  take  their  meals  in  the 
cabin,  which  your  father  at  first  proposed  to  give  up  to  them. 
Marco  suggested  that  a  table  should  be  rigged  on  the  quarter- 
deck. We  reckoned  that  there  would  be  about  fifty  grown  up 
or  nearly  so,  that  was  allowing  five  for  each  family.  Of  course 
the  children  would  have  their  meals  with  their  nurses  below." 

"That  would  certainly  be  the  pleasantest  way,  Miller. 
There  is  plenty  of  room  for  two  tables,  and  as  far  as  length 
goes  twelve  or  fourteen  could  sit  on  each  side  easily  enough 
without  the  tables  extending  forward  of  the  mainmast.  I  see 
Tarleton  is  getting  the  awning  rigged  up  already.  But  the 
tables  will  want  to  be  cleared  away  after  each  meal,  or  there 
will  be  no  room  for  anything." 

"Oh,  yes,  five  minutes  will  be  enough  for  that.  The  men 
will  bring  up  all  their  mess  tables,  they  can  be  rigged  and 
unshipped  in  no  time.  The  order  is  that  the  men  are  all  to 
get  into  their  white  ducks  at  eight  bells,  as  your  father  means 
to  show  these  Greeks  what  an  English  yacht  is.  Your  men 
have  rigged  up  another  stove  in  their  cooking  place,  and  have 
borrowed  a  couple  of  the  sailors,  I  suppose  to  wash  and  cut  up 
vegetables,  and  to  act  as  kitchen-maids." 

At  seven  o'clock  the  Chiots  began  to  come  up.  Mr.  Bever- 
idge  was  already  on  deck,  and  requested  Horace  to  assist  him 
to  set  them  at  their  ease.  The  men  were  all  of  the  best  Greek 
type,  courtly  and  gentle  in  manner,  with  refined  faces.  The 
older  women  were  all  more  or  less  inclined  to  corpulence, 
while  some  of  the  young  ones  fully  deserved  the  terms  of 
praise  in  which  Mr.  Beveridge  had  spoken  of  them  the  even- 
ing before.  At  first  they  looked  timid  at  finding  themselves 
in  scenes  so  strange  to  them,  but  they  were  soon  chattering 
and  laughing  with  each  other.  They  were  immensely  aston- 
ished at  the  exquisite  neatness  and  cleanliness  of  the  vessel 
and  her  fittings. 

"Are  all  English  ships  as  white  and  clean  as  this?  "  one  of 
them  asked. 


A    WHITE    SQUALL  2G1 

"All  ships  of  war  and  yachts.  A  yacht  is  a  vessel  kept  by 
a  gentleman  simply  for  his  own  amusement  and  not  for  trade. 
This  is  a  yacht,  though  we  have  mounted  guns,  and  have  come 
out  prepared  to  fight." 

"  It  would  be  a  great  pity  to  fight  and  spoil  everything,"  the 
girl  said. 

"Oh,  we  can  fight  without  spoiling  everything;  though  of 
course  sometimes  a  shot  may  knock  things  about  a  bit,  the 
damage  would  soon  be  repaired." 

"But  you  can't  have  been  fighting  yet,"  one  of  the  younger 
men  said,  looking  round. 

"  We  have  only  had  one  fight,  and  that  was  when  most  of  us 
were  ashore.  That  officer,  whom  you  see  there,  was  on  board, 
and  he  only  had  ten  men  with  him ;  but  for  all  that  he  engaged 
two  Turkish  frigates,  and  destroyed  one  of  them." 

There  was  an  exclamation  of  astonishment,  mingled  with  a 
little  incredulity,  from  the  group  round  Horace,  some  of  whom 
thought  he  was  trying  to  make  fun  of  them. 

"I  can  assure  you  that  it  is  a  fact,"  Horace  said.  "He  first 
crippled  her,  and  then  set  her  on  fire  by  firing  red-hot  balls 
into  her." 

"Was  that  near  Cyprus?  "  one  of  the  young  men  asked. 

"Yes;  the  rest  of  us  were  on  shore  there,  and  we  brought 
off  five  hundred  Christians  from  a  village  that  was  besieged 
by  the  Turks." 

"Yes,  that  is  true,"  the  young  fellow  said.  "I  was  told 
about  it  by  one  of  the  officers  who  lodged  in  our  house.  He 
said  it  was  wonderful,  and  so  it  was;  and  the  men  you  have 
here  all  look  so  quiet  too." 

"They  are  on  their  best  behaviour  now,"  Horace  .aughed; 
"but  they  are  all  picked  men,  and  have  all  served  in  British 
men-of-war." 

As  eight  bells  rang  out  a  party  of  sailors  came  along  to  the 
quarter-deck,  bringing  with  them  half  a  dozen  mess  tables, 
which  they  arranged  together,  according  to  the  direction  of 
Zaimes. 


2G2  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

"But  these  are  nothing  like  enough,  Zaimes,"  Horace  said, 
going  over  to  him. 

"We  are  not  going  to  sit  down,  Mr.  Horace.  We  shall  have 
two  meals — -one  at  eleven  and  one  at  six.  We  shall  put  things 
on  the  table  now,  and  let  them  eat  standing." 

The  cloth  was  soon  spread,  and  upon  it  were  placed  fruit, 
bread  and  butter,  and  eggs,  a  great  tureen  filled  with  coffee, 
and  another  with  hot  milk;  the  whole  of  the  cabin  tea  and 
coffee  cups,  and  a  score  of  the  men's  mugs. 

"Now,  ladies  and  gentlemen,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said,  "you 
must  help  yourselves.  I  am  sorrry  to  say  that  our  breakfast 
service  is  quite  insufficient  for  our  needs,  and  that  the  gentle- 
men will  have  to  put  up  with  the  sailors'  mugs." 

Everyone  seemed  to  enjoy  the  meal;  the  women  sat  about 
on  the  deck  in  little  groups,  and  the  men  waited  upon  them, 
the  three  officers  making  themselves  very  busy  in  this  work. 

"It  is  disgusting,  Horace,"  Miller  said,  "to  hear  you  jab- 
bering away  with  these  girls,  while  we  poor  beggars  can't  say 
a  word  to  them." 

"But  you  speak  a  little  Italian,  don't  you,  Miller?" 

"Yes,  I  picked  up  a  little  when  I  was  on  the  Mediterra- 
nean station." 

"Oh  well,  a  little  will  go  a  long  way  sometimes,  Miller, 
and  some  of  them  are  sure  to  know  something  of  Italian.  I 
will  soon  find  out  which  they  are,  and  introduce  them  spe- 
cially to  you." 

Five  or  six  of  the  girls  knew  a  little  Italian,  and  most  of  the 
young  men  could  speak  it,  Italian  being  the  general  language  of 
commerce  in  the  Mediterranean,  and  Miller  was  soon  engaged 
in  conversation  with  some  of  them.  Martyn  had  broken  the 
ice  for  himself  with  a  mixture  of  French  and  Italian;  but 
Tarleton,  who  knew  no  language  but  his  own,  kept  away  from 
the  quarter-deck. 

"What's  the  odds,"  he  said,  when  Horace  tried  to  induce 
him  to  go  aft.  "  If  they  were  going  to  be  on  board  for  a  year, 
I  would  try  to  get  hold  of  a  few  Greek  words,  and  do  what  I 


A    WHITE    SQUALL  263 

could;  but  as  it  is,  it  is  not  worth  while  bothering  one's  self. 
It  is  no  use  my  trying  to  make  myself  agreeable  to  girls  when 
I  haven't  a  word  to  say  to  them.  On  the  whole  I  am  rather 
glad  I  can't  talk  to  them.  I  never  had  any  practice  at  that 
sort  of  thing;  and  if  I  ever  do  fall  in  love,  I  hope  it  will  be 
with  an  Englishwoman.  Look  at  Miller  there,"  he  laughed, 
"jawing  away  with  five  or  six  girls  at  once,  and  I  don't  be- 
lieve one  of  them  has  the  least  idea  of  what  he  is  saying, 
though  they  all  try  to  look  interested." 

"They  understand  he  is  trying  to  make  himself  agreeable, 
Tarleton,  and  I  have  no  doubt  they  are  grateful  and  pleased. 
I  daresay  some  of  them  don't  understand  any  more  Italian 
than  he  does.  Still  they  are  just  as  much  amused,  if  not 
more,  as  if  they  understood  him  perfectly." 

After  the  meal  was  over  some  chairs  and  benches  were 
brought  up,  but  the  ladies  all  preferred  sitting  on  the  deck, 
and  were  much  pleased  when  a  number  of  the  men's  ham- 
mocks were  brought  up,  unrolled,  and  laid  down  for  them  to 
sit  upon.  Mr.  Beveridge  chatted  with  the  merchants,  the 
younger  men  smoked  and  lounged  about,  Martyn  and  Miller 
and  Horace  devoting  themselves  to  the  ladies,  until  eleven 
o'clock,  when  two  long  tables  were  set.  Zaimes  arranged 
them  tastefully  with  flowers  and  silver,  and  a  very  excellent 
meal  was  served.  After  the  meal  was  finished,  and  the  decks 
cleared,  the  men  were  exercised  at  cutlass  drill  and  in  getting 
down  and  setting  the  sails,  and  the  Chiots  were  astonished  at 
their  discipline  and  activity. 

"  I  have  seen  vessels  get  up  sail  at  Chios  hundreds  of  times," 
one  of  the  young  men  said  to  Horace,  "and  everyone  shouts 
and  bustles  about;  but  with  all  the  noise  they  take  five  or  six 
times  as  long  to  get  them  up  as  your  men  do,  and,  except 
when  the  officer  gives  orders,  there  is  no  more  sound  than 
there  would  be  if  they  were  all  dumb." 

"Captain  Martyn  says  that  he  will  have  gun  drill  to-mor- 
row," Horace  said,  "and  you  will  see  that  they  are  just  as 
quiet  at  their  work  then  as  now.     You  see  the  three  officers 


264  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

have  all  served  in  our  navy  as  well  as  the  men,  and  we  have 
just  the  same  discipline  as  there  would  be  in  a  king's  ship." 

"One  would  scarcely  think,"  Horace  remarked  to  his  father 
that  evening  as  they  were  standing  together  looking  at  the 
groups  scattered  about  the  deck,  "  that  these  people  were 
fugitives  who  have  just  left  their  native  land,  probably  for 
life." 

"I  don't  think  they  quite  realize  that  at  present,  Horace. 
One  or  two  of  the  men  have  been  telling  me  what  anxiety  they 
have  suffered  at  Chios  since  the  revolution  broke  out.  When 
the  news  came  of  some  of  the  massacres  of  the  Greeks,  they 
were  in  constant  fear  of  a  retaliation  upon  them  by  the  Mus- 
sulmans, and  they  made  sure  that  sooner  or  later,  if  the  war 
went  on,  Chios  would  become  involved  in  it.  Of  course  they 
did  not  suppose  that  such  a  mad-brained  expedition  as  that 
of  Lykourgos  would  be  undertaken,  but  supposed  that  a  suffi- 
cient force  would  be  sent  to  ensure  the  capture  of  the  island, 
accompanied  by  a  fleet  that  would  protect  it  from  that  of  the 
Turks;  but  even  that  was  greatly  dreaded  by  them. 

"They  knew  that  the  Turkish  provinces  governed  by  Greek 
officials  were  much  more  heavily  taxed  and  oppressed  than 
those  in  which  the  Turks  collected  the  taxation,  and  knew 
that  the  change  would  be,  for  them,  very  much  for  the  worse. 
Except  that  they  have  the  same  religion,  they  have  little  in 
common  with  the  Greeks  in  the  mainland,  and  dreaded  the 
thought  of  the  Albanians,  who  would  be  sure  to  send  over 
armed  bands,  who  would  harass  and  oppress  them.  Of  course 
they  have  been  for  centuries  under  Turkish  rule,  and  the 
island  has  certainly  nourished  exceedingly  under  it.  Their 
trade  has  been  almost  entirely  with  Constantinople,  and  all 
their  connections  are  Turkish.  I  can  quite  understand,  there- 
fore, their  repugnance  to  a  change  which  would  ruin  their 
trade  and  vastly  increase  their  burdens;  while,  as  to  masters, 
I  should  imagine  that  no  one  in  their  senses  could  prefer 
Albanians  to  Turks. 

"  Seeing  the  storm  coming,  most  of  the  wealthy  Chiots  have 


A   WHITE    SQUALL  265 

prepared  in  some  way  for  it  by  sending  much  of  their  avail- 
able capital,  for  safety,  to  correspondents  abroad,  or  by  invest- 
ing in  foreign  securities.  I  believe  that  all  these  merchants 
have  done  so;  and  as  the  greater  part  of  their  money  and 
valuables  that  remained  are  at  present  down  in  the  hold,  they 
will  be  able  to  live,  if  not  in  as  great  luxury  as  before,  at  any 
rate  in  comfort  at  Corfu,  or  wherever  they  may  settle  them- 
selves; while  several  of  them  have  told  me  that  they  intend 
again  to  embark  in  trade,  and,  if  possible,  under  our  flag. 
They  have  been  asking  me  a  good  many  questions  about  our- 
selves, and  don't  seem  at  all  able  to  comprehend  the  interest 
that  the  Greek  revolution  has  created  in  Europe;  still  less 
that  an  Englishman  like  myself,  who  could  live  comfortably  at 
home,  should  come  out  here  to  take  part  in  a  struggle  that  in 
no  way  concerns  him." 

"What  did  you  answer,  father?"  Horace  asked  with  a 
slight  smile. 

"  I  told  them  that  I  was  but  half  an  Englishman,  and  that 
my  mother  was  Greek,  and  that  I  was  devoted  to  the  study  of 
the  language  and  customs  of  the  ancients." 

"I  suppose  they  knew  nothing  about  the  ancients,  father?" 

"No,"  Mr.  Beveridge  admitted  reluctantly.  "They  had 
heard  of  the  name  of  Homer,  and  had  a  vague  sort  of  knowl- 
edge of  the  early  history  of  Greece — about  as  vague  as  the 
ordinary  Englishman  has  of  King  Arthur  and  the  Knights  of 
the  Round  Table.  An  English  school-boy  of  twelve  knows 
more  about  ancient  Greece  than  do  nineteen  Greeks  out  of 
twenty;  though,  seeing  the  interest  felt  by  civilized  Europe 
in  the  matter,  it  is  the  fashion  among  them  now  to  pretend  to 
feel  great  enthusiasm  on  the  subject.  No;  I  am  not  surprised 
at  these  poor  people  being  cheerful,  Horace.  They  have 
escaped  the  risk  of  a  terible  fate;  and  as  to  patriotism,  it  is  a 
feeling  of  which  people  who  have  been  under  foreign  masters 
hundreds  of  years  know  absolutely  nothing.  They  may  regret 
their  easy,  quiet  life  in  Chios;  but  beyond  that,  I  think  they 
have  little  feeling  in  the  matter." 


2G6  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

The  next  morning,  after  breakfast,  the  sailors  were  exer- 
cised at  the  guns,  three  rounds  being  fired  from  each  piece. 
Scarcely  were  the  men  dismissed  from  their  quarters,  and  the 
guns  secured,  before  the  boatswain  went  up  to  Martyn. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  captain,  but  look  over  there.  Do  you 
see  that  white  cloud? — how  quick  it  rises.  I  know  these 
seas,  sir;  and  that  is  a  white  squall,  or  I  am  a  Dutchman. 
We  sha'n't  have  more  than  three  or  four  minutes  before  it  is 
on  us." 

"  By  Jove,  you  are  right,  Tom !  All  hands  get  off  sail. 
Look  smart,  my  lads;  there  is  a  bit  of  a  squall  coming  down 
on  us.  Down  topsails;  in  jibs.  Miller,  take  six  hands  and 
get  this  awning  off.     Horace,  get  the  ladies  below  at  once." 

As  Martyn  began  to  give  his  orders,  Tarleton  had  run  for- 
ward to  see  them  carried  out;  but  Miller  and  Horace  had 
continued  their  conversation  without  paying  much  attention 
to  them,  believing  that  he  was  only  giving  the  orders  as  an 
exercise  to  the  crew,  and  to  show  the  passengers  how  quickly 
they  could  get  off  sail.  His  sharp,  decided  tone,  however, 
soon  showed  them  that  he  was  in  earnest.  Horace  looked 
round  almost  bewildered,  for  there  was  scarcely  a  breath  of 
wind;  the  sky  was  a  deep  blue  overhead.  Miller's  experience 
in  the  Mediterranean,  however,  told  him  which  way  to  look. 

"White  squall,  by  Jove!"  he  muttered,  as  his  eye  fell  on 
the  cloud  that  had  attracted  the  boatswain's  attention.  Spring- 
ing forward  he  called  six  of  the  men,  and  ran  aft  with  them 
again.  Horace,  still  in  ignorance  of  the  reason  for  the  order 
given  him,  at  once  proceeded  to  carry  it  out. 

Calling  out  in  Greek,  "Please  go  below  at  once,  ladies;  " 
and  then  to  the  men,  "  Escort  the  ladies  below  as  quickly  as 
you  can,  please."  Then,  running  forward,  he  shouted  to  the 
Greek  servants,  "All  below,  all  below!  Take  the  children 
with  you;  you  are  in  the  way  here.     Hurry  down." 

His  orders  on  the  quarter-deck  were  more  quickly  obeyed 
than  he  had  expected,  for  the  Chiots,  accustomed  to  these 
sudden  and  tremendous  squalls  of  the  yEgean,  glancing  round 


A    WHITE    SQUALL  267 

when  they  heard  the  order,  perceived  the  reason  for  it  at  once, 
and  hurried  the  ladies  below  with  all  speed. 

With  so  strong  a  crew  it  took  but  a  minute  to  lower  the 
gaff  topsail  from  the  mainmast  and  to  get  the  foretop  gallant 
sail  and  topsail  down  on  the  caps,  and  almost  before  the 
halliards  had  been  let  go  a  dozen  men  were  aloft  furling  the 
sails.  The  foresail  came  down  with  a  run,  and  the  jibs  flew 
in  from  the  bowsprit.  Martyn  himself  saw  to  the  lowering  of 
the  mainsail. 

"Belay  there!"  he  called  when  it  was  half-way  down. 
"Reef  it  down  fully,  Mr.  Tarleton,"  as  the  young  officer,  with 
twenty  men,  sprang  to  the  reef-points.  "  Now  haul  on  the 
reef-earing.  That  is  it.  Well  together,  lads.  Harden  it 
down;  that  will  do.  Now  a  pull  on  the  main  halliards;  that 
is  enough.  Belay.  Lower  the  peak  a  bit  more ;  that  will  do. 
Now  we  are  ready  for  it.     Boatswain !  " 

"Ay,  ay,  sir,"  came  from  forward. 

"Lower  that  fore-staysail  down,  and  reef  it  fully." 

He  looked  to  windward.  A  white  bank  of  clouds  extended 
half-way  up  the  sky,  in  front  of  which  were  white  streamers 
blown  out  ahead  of  it.  The  schooner  had  already  been  brought 
round  with  her  head  in  the  direction  of  the  wind,  and  an 
extra  hand  had  been  placed  at  the  wheel. 

"Starboard  a  little,"  Martyn  cried  to  the  men  at  the  wheel. 
"Slack  off  the  mainsheet  a  bit,  Mr.  Miller.  I  don't  want  to 
be  taken  aback." 

A  minute  later  a  white  line  was  seen  approaching  them  on 
the  water  with  the  speed  of  a  race-horse,  and  then  with  a 
shriek  the  squall  was  upon  them.  Stripped  as  the  vessel  was 
of  all  her  canvas,  save  the  diminished  fore-staysail,  the  main- 
sail being  too  far  over  to  draw,  she  lay  down  until  the  water 
poured  in  over  the  lee  gunwale  from  the  pressure  of  wind  on 
her  masts  and  rigging.      Her  head  payed  off. 

"Now  haul  on  the  mainsheet,"  Martyn  shouted  to  a  dozen 
sailors  who  had  hold  of  it,  and  dragged  it  in  hand  over  hand. 
As  the  sail  fluttered  in  her  head  again  came  up  into  the  wind. 


268  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

"That  will  do.  Belay  there!  keep  her  at  that,  lads,"  Martyn 
said,  taking  his  place  by  the  side  of  the  men  at  the  helm. 
"Keep  the  staysail  full,  but  nothing  more." 

The  schooner  had  now  begun  to  move  fast  through  the  water 
as  close-hauled  to  the  wind  as  her  sails  would  stand.  Though 
still  heeling  over,  her  deck  was  now  free  of  water,  as  that 
which  she  had  taken  on  board  had  rushed  out  through  the 
port-holes. 

"She  will  do  nicely  now,"  Martyn  said  to  his  first  lieuten- 
ant. "You  can  get  the  peak  up  again,  Mr.  Miller;  she  will 
stand  it  now." 

The  schooner  was  now  retracing  the  course  she  had  before 
been  sailing  on. 

"  It  is  lucky  it  came  when  it  did,  Miller.  Another  couple 
of  hours  and  we  should  have  been  in  the  thick  of  the  islands. 
As  it  is  now,  we  have  clear  water,  and  at  any  rate,  if  we  are 
obliged  to  change  our  course,  we  can  run  down  south  compar- 
atively clear  of  everything.  It  is  lucky  we  saw  it  coming  in 
time.  It  was  the  boatswain  warned  me.  If  we  had  not  got 
the  sail  off  her  we  should  have  lost  our  spars,  and  perhaps 
been  dismasted,  and  with  all  these  islands  down  to  leeward 
we  should  have  been  in  an  awkward  fix." 

"Yes,  indeed;"  Miller  agreed.  "We  are  all  right  now. 
Of  course  we  shall  get  some  sea  soon,  but  these  squalls  don't 
last  many  hours.     It  is  only  the  first  blow  that  is  to  be  feared." 

"  Do  you  think,  Miller,  you  could  get  that  pivot-gun  sent 
down  below?  It  is  a  big  weight  on  deck,  and  when  the  sea 
gets  up  she  will  feel  it." 

"  I  think  so,  sir.     There  is  no  sea  on  yet  to  speak  of." 

The  gun  was  amidships,  half-way  between  the  fore  and 
mainmasts,  and  there  was  a  hatchway  just  beyond  the  frame- 
work on  which  it  travelled.  Calling  the  crew  together,  Miller 
got  tackles  on  the  mainmast,  and  these  with  the  blocks  of  the 
throat  halliards  of  the  foresail  were  hooked  on  to  strops  round 
the  gun.  Ropes  were  attached  to  it  and  manned  to  prevent 
it  from  swinging  away  to  leeward  when  hoisted  from  the  car- 
riage. 


A    WHITE    SQUALL  269 

"Now  all  ready,"  Miller  said.  "Hoist  on  the  falls  hand- 
somely, inch  by  inch.  Stand  fast  to  those  stay-ropes;  that  is 
right.  Now  haul  her  aft.  Lower  away  a  little  forward  and 
let  her  swing  gradually  aft;  that  does  it.  Now  she  is  over 
the  hatchway.  Lower  away  a  little  aft.  Let  her  go  down, 
breech  foremost;  that  will  do.  Now  a  dozen  of  you  go  down 
to  the  main  deck.  You  go  down  with  them,  Mr.  Tarleton, 
and  steer  her  clear  through  the  lower  hatchway." 

Gradually  the  muzzle  of  the  heavy  gun  sank  below  the  deck, 
and  in  five  minutes  it  was  safely  stowed  in  the  bottom  of  the 
hold.  Then  the  hatches  were  put  on  again  and  battened  down 
securely,  and  Miller  went  aft. 

"That  is  a  good  job,  Miller,"  Martyn  said.  "The  sea  is 
getting  up  fast,  and  in  another  five  minutes  it  would  not  have 
been  safe  to  do  it.  It  will  make  all  the  difference  to  us  in 
such  a  short  choppy  sea  as  we  shall  be  having." 

For  six  hours  the  wind  blew  with  unabated  force.  A  heavy 
sea  got  up,  and,  buoyant  as  she  was,  the  schooner  shipped 
water  heavily  over  the  bow,  the  seas  being  too  short  to  give 
her  time  to  rise  and  fall  regularly  over  them.  At  the  end  of 
that  time  the  wind  fell  almost  as  suddenly  as  it  had  risen,  and 
half  an  hour  later  the  schooner  was  on  her  course  again,  with 
all  her  lower  sails  set.  It  was  not  until  evening  that  the  sea 
had  gone  down  sufficiently  for  the  passengers  to  begin  to  make 
their  appearance  again  on  deck,  looking  worn  out  and  ex- 
hausted by  sea-sickness. 

By  this  time  the  schooner  was  among  the  islands,  and  was 
passing  through  the  Mykonos  Channel,  between  the  island  of 
that  name  and  Tenos.  Syra  rose  above  the  water  almost 
ahead,  while  Rhenea  and  Delos  lay  on  her  beam  to  the  south. 
Her  topsails  were  set  now,  and  she  was  running  fast  through 
the  water,  her  course  being  laid  to  pass  between  Seriphos  and 
Siphnos,  beyond  which  it  was  a  straight  course  to  Cape 
Malea,  at  the  southern  point  of  the  Morea.  A  sharp  look-out 
was  kept  at  night  for  Anti-Melos  on  the  one  hand,  and  Fal- 
conera  on  the  other.     The  former  was  made  out,  the  land 


270  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

being  high;  but  Falconera,  a  mere  rock,  was  passed  unob- 
served. In  the  morning  the  schooner  was  running  through 
the  Cervi  Channel,  between  Cythera  and  Cervi,  which  island 
almost  touches  the  mainland.  A  quiet  night's  rest  had  com- 
pletely restored  the  passengers,  who  came  on  deck  early,  and 
watched  with  interest  the  rocky  shore  of  the  Morea  as  they 
coasted  along  it. 

Three  days  later  the  Misericordia  dropped  her  anchor  in 
the  harbour  of  Corfu. 

Mr.  Beveridge  was  again  overwhelmed  with  thanks  by  the 
grateful  Chiots.  Upon  the  way  they  had  inquired  of  him  if 
he  had  a  wife  or  daughters,  and  were  quite  disappointed  at 
hearing  that  he  had  no  near  female  relatives,  as  they  had 
intended  to  send  a  consignment  of  choice  stuffs  and  embroid- 
eries to  them  in  token  of  their  gratitude.  Before  landing  they 
handed  to  Martyn  a  hundred  pounds  to  be  divided  among  the 
crew,  and  on  the  day  after  landing  sent  off  a  very  handsome 
case  of  pistols  to  each  of  the  officers.  As  their  goods  were 
being  got  up  from  the  hold  they  pointed  out  four  barrels 
which  were  to  remain  behind. 

"We  brought  them  off  specially  for  you,  Mr.  Beveridge," 
they  said.  "They  are  the  very  choicest  vintage  of  Chios,  and 
we  do  hope  that  though  you  have  refused  to  accept  any  sub- 
stantial proof  of  our  gratitude,  you  will  not  refuse  to  take 
these." 

The  decks  of  the  Misericordia  seemed  curiously  still  and 
deserted  after  the  departure  of  their  guests.  It  had  been  a 
very  pleasant  week  while  the  Chiots  had  been  on  board,  and 
Martyn  and  Miller  both  looked  out  of  spirits,  having  tempo- 
rarily lost  their  hearts  to  two  of  the  Greek  girls. 

"We  have  the  best  of  it  now,"  Tarleton  laughed  to  the 
doctor.  "What  is  the  use  of  a  week's  flirtation?  Look  at 
the  parting  at  the  end  of  it.  The  girls  were  pretty  enough, 
no  doubt;  but  what  good  would  it  be  to  take  home  a  wife 
who  did  not  speak  your  language,  who  was  ignorant  of  English 
ways,  and  would  be  miserable  in  our  climate,  besides  being 


A    WHITE    SQUALL  271 

of  a  different  religion.  I  think  it  is  just  as  well  that  the 
voyage  was  not  longer;  as  it  is,  they  will  soon  get  over  it." 

The  captain  and  first  officer  had  indeed  but  little  time  to 
think  over  it,  for  on  the  evening  of  the  day  after  their  arrival 
sail  was  again  set  on  the  schooner,  and  she  started  on  her 
return  to  Chios,  where,  as  Mr.  l>everidge  said,  they  were  likely 
to  find  plenty  more  opportunities  for  doing  good.  The  wind 
held  steady,  and  they  made  a  quick  passage.  Scarcely  had 
they  dropped  anchor  when  a  boat  came  off  to  them  bearing  an 
angry  message  from  Lykourgos. 

"You  have  assisted  deserters  to  escape  from  the  island,"  he 
said,  "and  if  any  of  you  set  foot  on  shore  you  will  at  once  be 
arrested." 

They  learned  shortly  afterwards  from  a  boat  that  came  along- 
side to  sell  fish  that  many  of  the  richer  inhabitants  had  been 
arrested  and  very  heavily  fined  upon  the  accusation  that  they 
also  intended  to  desert,  and  that  all  who  had  property  had 
been  compelled  to  pay  considerable  sums  for  protection  against 
the  excesses  of  the  troops  who  had  come,  as  they  pretended, 
to  deliver  them.  The  officers  were  furious  at  the  message 
from  Lykourgos,  and  proposed  going  ashore  with  a  strong 
party  of  armed  sailors.  Mr.  Beveridge,  however,  decided 
that  no  steps  should  be  taken  for  a  day  or  two. 

"We  don't  want  to  become  actually  embroiled  with  these 
people  unless  it  is  necessary,"  he  said.  "The  Turkish  fleet 
is  expected  here  every  day  now,  and  Lykourgos  and  his  crew 
will,  we  may  be  sure,  take  flight  as  soon  as  they  appear,  and 
we  shall  then  have  plenty  of  scope  for  our  work.  At  any  rate 
we  will  wait  two  or  three  days  and  see  how  matters  turn  up. 
If  necessary  we  can  then  do  as  you  propose,  seize  half  a  dozen 
of  the  ships,  and  tell  the  rest  we  will  sink  them  if  they  don't 
put  to  sea;  that  will  bring  the  fellow  to  his  senses  at  once.  I 
don't  want  to  do  it  if  1  can  help  it,  because  we  should  after- 
wards be  liable  to  attack  at  any  of  the  islands  we  might  hap- 
pen to  put  into." 

A    few   hours   later  a   fast   Greek    felucca   came   up   and 


AT&  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

anchored  between  the  schooner  and  the  other  vessels.  A  boat 
was  lowered  and  rowed  at  once  towards  the  transports. 

"  I  fancy  that  fellow  must  have  brought  some  news,"  Martyn 
said.  "  Horace,  will  you  go  on  board  of  him  and  find  out 
where  he  comes  from,  and  whether  he  has  heard  anything  of 
the  Turkish  fleet?" 

In  ten  minutes  Horace  reported: 

"  The  Turks  are  only  a  few  miles  from  the  north  of  the 
island.  The  felucca  has  been  watching  them  for  the  last 
week.  They  have  been  taking  troops  on  board  at  all  the  ports 
on  the  mainland  as  they  came  down." 

Already  the  fleet  had  diminished  by  at  least  two-thirds 
since  Lykourgos  landed;  but  a  small  proportion  of  the  plunder 
had  fallen  to  the  sailors,  and  as  it  was  for  this  alone  that  the 
craft  had  taken  part  in  the  expedition,  the  greater  portion 
soon  became  discontented  and  sailed  away.  As  the  Turkish 
fleet  approached  the  island,  a  Turkish  sloop,  which  had  gone 
on  ahead  to  ascertain  the  position  of  the  Greeks,  ran  ashore 
and  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Greeks,  who  at  once  put  to 
death  every  soul  on  board — the  fate  that  had  befallen  every 
prisoner  they  had  taken.  Having  thus  done  their  utmost  to 
exasperate  the  Turks,  and  to  imperil  the  safety  of  the  Chris- 
tian inhabitants  of  the  island,  the  Greeks  made  no  effort  to 
oppose  the  landing  of  the  Mussulmans,  but  retired  precipi- 
tately on  their  approach,  and  the  Turks  entered  Chios,  plun- 
dering the  town  of  everything  that  had  escaped  the  bands  of 
Lykourgos,  the  irregulars  who  formed  part  of  the  army  mur- 
dering every  Christian  they  met. 

Lykourgos  had  retreated  to  the  village  of  St.  George,  whence, 
after  a  feeble  attempt  at  defence,  he  escaped  with  his  followers 
on  board  some  Psarian  ships  that  had,  fortunately  for  him, 
arrived.  These  islanders  had  strongly  opposed  the  expedition 
to  Chios,  and  had  taken  no  part  in  it,  fearing  to  bring  down 
the  Turkish  fleet  upon  themselves,  as  Psara  lay  but  a  short 
distance  north  of  Chios.  They  maintained  their  fleet  in  port 
to  aid  in  its  defence  should  the  Turks  attack  them.     As  soon, 


A   WHITE    SQUALL  273 

however,  as  they  saw  the  Turkish  fleet  sail  past  Psara  on  its 
way  to  Chios  they  at  once  put  to  sea  with  the  intention  of 
harassing  the  Turks  and  rendering  some  assistance  to  the 
Christians. 

The  vengeance  of  the  Turks  now  fell  upon  the  unfortunate 
Chiots,  who  had  been  perfectly  innocent  of  all  share  in  the 
proceedings  of  Lykourgos,  and  who  had  already  suffered  so 
heavily  at  the  hands  of  him  and  his  robber  bands.  In  the 
citv  the  wealthier  class  generally  succeeded  in  purchasing  the 
protection  of  Turks  in  authority  by  paying  large  sums  of 
monev,  but  the  rest  were  either  slaughtered  or  seized  to  be 
sold  into  slavery.  Three  thousand  Chiots,  mostly  the  peas- 
antry that  had  come  down  from  the  hills,  retired  to  the  monas- 
tery of  Aghios  Minas,  five  miles  south  of  the  city.  The  Turks 
surrounded  them  and  summoned  them  to  surrender.  They 
refused  to  surrender,  and  the  building  was  carried  by  storm, 
and  all  within  it  put  to  death.  Two  thousand  persons  were 
similarly  slain  at  the  capture  of  the  monastery  of  Nea  Alone; 
most  of  them  were  put  to  death  by  the  sword,  and  the  rest 
perished  in  the  conflagration  of  the  monastery. 

Kara  Ali,  the  capitan-pasha,  did  all  in  his  power  to  save 
the  island  from  being  laid  waste,  knowing  that  the  loss  of  the 
revenue  derived  from  the  island  would  greatly  vex  the  sultan 
and  his  seraglio,  to  whom  this  revenue  was  specially  appro- 
priated. The  regular  troops  were  kept  fairly  in  order,  but 
the  Bashi-Bazouks,  that  is  the  volunteers  who  had  flocked  to 
his  standard,  scattered  over  the  island,  plundering  and  slay- 
ing, but  more  especially  carrying  off  women  and  children  for 
sale  in  the  slave-markets.  The  sultan,  determined  to  strike 
terror  into  the  hearts  of  the  Greeks  of  the  island,  executed  at 
Constantinople  some  Chiot  hostages  that  had  been  sent  there, 
and  ordered  the  archbishop  and  seventy-five  other  Chiots  to  be 
executed  by  the  capitan-pasha.  During  the  whole  time  Ly- 
kourgos had  been  there  the  vessels  from  Psara  they  had  been 
carrying  off  the  Chiots  from  small  ports  and  quiet  bays  round 
the  island,  and  it  was  estimated  that  some  fifteen  thousand  had 


274  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

been  taken  off  in  this  way  either  before  the  arrival  of  the 
Turks  or  during  the  continuance  of  the  massacres  by  them. 
The  work  was  carried  on  with  great  vigour  by  the  Psarians 
who  reaped  a  rich  harvest  from  their  operations,  demanding 
and  receiving  all  the  valuables  of  the  unfortunate  fugitives  as 
the  price  for  their  passage  to  another  island.  Thus  large 
numbers  of  wealthy  Chiots  were  reduced  to  the  most  abject 
poverty  by  the  avarice  and  extortion  of  those  who  professed  to 
save  them. 

The  Afisericordia  was  very  busy  during  the  three  weeks  that 
followed  the  Turkish  re-occupation  of  the  island.  Cruising 
round  and  round  she  carried  off  large  numbers  of  fugitives, 
conveying  them  across  to  the  nearest  Greek  islands.  After 
making  three  such  trips,  and  carrying  over  some  twelve  hun- 
dred fugitives,  she  left  the  work  of  rescue  to  the  Psarians,  and 
took  up  her  station  between  the  island  and  the  mainland  to 
cut  off  the  craft  that  were,  as  they  learned,  conveying  the 
women  and  children  to  the  slave-markets  of  Smyrna.  As 
speed  was  here  of  the  greatest  utility,  vessel  after  vessel  was 
overhauled  and  compelled  to  bring  to  by  her  guns.  Then  the 
boats  went  alongside,  forced  the  Turkish  sailors  and  Bashi- 
Bazouks  to  take  to  their  boats,  and  then  after  transporting  the 
rescued  women  and  children  to  the  schooner,  set  fire  to  the 
ships. 

No  less  than  eighteen  were  overhauled  and  destroyed  in  the 
course  of  a  week — fourteen  hundred  women  and  children  being 
rescued,  the  first  two  batches  being  landed  at  Psara  as  the 
nearest  Greek  island,  while  the  last  batch  was  taken  to  Athens. 
On  returning  from  that  trip  they  found  that  the  destruction 
they  caused  had  so  alarmed  the  ship-owners  of  Smyrna  that 
the  traffic  by  sea  had  almost  entirely  ceased,  and  that  the 
slaves  were  now  carried  across  in  boats  or  small  vessels  to  the 
mainland  opposite  the  island,  which  was  but  six  or  seven  miles 
away.  Here  it  was  difficult  to  interrupt  it,  for  the  Turkish 
fleet  lay  off  the  town  of  Chios,  and  the  smaller  ships  cruised 
about  in  the  channel. 


A    WHITE    SQUALL  275 

Trusting  to  her  superior  sailing  power,  the  Misericordia 
entered  by  the  southern,  which  was  the  broader  end  of  the 
straits,  and  kept  hovering  about  between  the  island  and  the 
mainland.  She  was  frequently  chased  by  the  Turks,  and 
several  times  engaged  their  cruisers  at  a  distance,  the  supe- 
rior rapidity  of  her  fire,  and  the  ease  with  which  she  manoeu- 
vred, giving  her  a  great  advantage  over  her  clumsy  opponents. 
Two  of  the  Turkish  corvettes  were  so  severely  handled  that 
they  had  to  retire  under  the  shelter  of  the  guns  of  the  fleet. 
Over  a  score  of  small  craft  were  intercepted  and  destroyed, 
and  two  hundred  and  fifty  more  slaves  rescued.  At  night  she 
generally  ran  across  and  anchored  in  some  indentation  on  the 
Turkish  side,  going  in  after  nightfall,  knowing  that  the  Turkish 
cruisers  always  retired  before  dark  to  their  anchorage  off  Chios. 

One  night  they  were  at  anchor  in  a  deep  bay  near  the  narrow 
and  northern  mouth  of  the  straits.  At  about  three  in  the 
morning  Horace  was  on  the  watch  with  Miller,  and  was  walk- 
ing up  and  down  the  quarter-deck  with  him,  when  one  of  the 
quarter-masters  came  aft. 

"It  seems  to  me,  sir,"  he  said  to  the  first  lieutenant,  "that 
I  can  hear  some  sort  of  noise  out  seaward." 

Miller  stopped  in  his  walk  and  listened  intently.  "There 
is  some  sort  of  noise,  sure  enough,  quarter-master." 

It  was  a  quiet  night,  not  a  breath  of  wind  was  stirring,  but 
a  confused  sound  was  audible  like  that  of  small  waves  break- 
ing on  a  stony  beach.  "What  do  you  make  it  out  to  be?" 
he  asked  the  quarter-master.  "  It  is  too  irregular  and  con- 
fused for  oars." 

"I  don't  know,  sir;  it  ain't  the  sound  of  the  oars  of  one 
boat  or  of  two,  but  I  should  say  that  it  might  be  the  sound  of 
a  dozen." 

"I  think  you  are  right,"  Miller  said  after  listening  for  a 
while.  "  I  don't  see  what  else  it  can  be.  Go  down  and  call 
Captain  Martyn." 

In  two  or  three  minutes  Martyn  was  on  deck.  "You  make 
out  oars,  I  hear,  Miller?" 


276  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

"I  am  not  sure  that  it  is  the  sound  of  oars,  but  it  may  be." 

Martyn  listened  attentively. 

"I  have  very  little  doubt  it  is  that,"  he  said.  "It  is  possi- 
ble some  boat  may  have  gone  over  from  this  side  with  the 
news  that  we  are  here,  or  they  may  have  arranged  some  fire 
signal  and  given  notice  in  that  way,  and  they  have  sent  the 
boats  of  the  fleet  across  to  cut  us  out.  Well,  if  so,  we  have 
got  to  fight;  there  is  not  a  breath  of  wind.  Call  the  other 
watch  on  deck,  quarter-master." 

The  men  soon  tumbled  up. 

"Will  you  see  to  getting  the  boarding  nettings  up,  Mr. 
Miller.  Mr.  Tarleton,  get  a  boat  put  in  the  water,  ship  a 
light  anchor,  and  drop  it  a  cable  length  of  her  quarter.  Get 
springs  into  both  cables,  so  that  we  can  work  her  round  and 
keep  her  broadside  on  to  an  attack.  Horace,  will  you  call 
up  your  father  in  the  first  place,  and  go  down  with  the  two 
Greeks  to  the  lower  deck  and  get  all  that  mob  of  women  and 
children  down  into  the  hold.  Call  the  men  to  quarters,  boat- 
swain; open  the  magazine,  get  up  canister  and  grape;  let  the 
men  muster  with  muskets  and  boarding-pikes." 

The  guns  were  run  in  and  loaded,  and  when  everything  was 
in  readiness  a  dead  silence  reigned  fore  and  aft.  The  noise 
was  now  much  louder,  and  there  could  be  no  doubt  any  longer 
that  it  was  caused  by  the  approach  of  a  large  number  of  boats; 
then  Martyn  spoke  in  a  clear  voice  that  could  be  heard  from 
end  to  end  of  the  schooner. 

"As  you  can  hear  for  yourselves,  men,  it  is  evident  that  we 
are  about  to  be  attacked  by  a  flotilla  of  boats.  Well,  we  have 
got  to  beat  them  off.  You  know,  without  my  telling  you,  that 
there  is  no  mercy  to  be  expected  at  the  hands  of  the  Turks  if 
they  become  the  masters  of  this  ship,  so  we  have  got  to  beat 
them  off;  and  as  it  is  a  choice  between  doing  so  and  of  being 
murdered  afterwards,  I  am  sure  I  need  not  tell  you  that  we 
must  fight  to  the  last,  and  I  for  one  have  very  little  fear  of 
what  the  result  will  be.  We  have  done  good  work  as  British 
sailors  in  saving  life  up  to  this  point,  and  now  we  have  got  to 


FIRE-SHIPS  Zl  i 

show  them  what  British  sailors  can  do  when  they  are  fighting 
for  their  own  lives.  Don't  cheer,  lads,  they  might  hear  it 
across  the  water,  and  they  may  as  well  think  they  are  going  to 
take  us  by  surprise;  we  will  cheer  when  we  have  beaten  them 
off." 

A  hum  of  approval  ran  round  the  ship,  and  then  the  men 
stood  to  their  guns  with  their  pistols  in  their  belts,  and  their 
muskets  and  boarding-pikes  ready  at  hand.  Mr.  Beveridge 
with  the  two  Greeks  had  taken  their  positions,  armed  with 
rifles,  near  the  wheel. 

"They  must  be  coming  very  slowly,  Tarleton,"  Miller  mut- 
tered impatiently.     "They  must  be  a  mile  away  still." 

"  I  expect  the  boats  are  crowded  with  troops,  Miller,  and  I 
daresay  they  are  rowing  easily  so  as  to  keep  well  in  a  body." 

"I  suppose  that  is  it;  but  I  wish  the  beggars  would  make 
haste.     I  hate  this  waiting." 

"So  do  I,"  Tarleton  agreed.  "Well,  we  shall  give  them  a 
hot  reception  when  they  do  come.  If  it  were  anyone  but 
Turks,  I  should  say  we  were  going  to  have  very  hot  work  of  it. 
The  Turk?  are  good  fellows  to  fight  on  shore,  but  they  are  no 
good  on  the  water,  and  I  expect  they  will  attack  us  pell-mell 
without  the  least  plan  or  order.  Well,  we  shall  soon  know; 
another  ten  minutes,  and  they  will  be  near  enough  to  begin." 


CHAPTER   XVI 


FIRE-SHIPS 


HPHE  time  passed  slowly  as  they  were  waiting  for  the  attack 
*  by  the  Turkish  boats.  The  men  muttered  and  growled  to 
each  other  at  the  delay.  In  order  to  give  them  something  to 
do,  Miller  sent  all  those  who  were  not  stationed  at  the  guns 
down  below  to  fetch  up  a  number  of  3  2 -pound  shot  and  place 


278  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

them  in  the  racks,  and  some  of  the  men  were  told  off  to  jump 
up  on  to  the  rail  as  soon  as  the  boats  came  alongside,  and  to 
throw  the  shot  over  the  top  of  the  boarding-netting  down  into 
the  boats. 

"I  wish  it  was  not  so  confoundedly  dark,  Miller,  and  that 
we  could  make  the  fellows  out,"  Martyn  said. 

"  I  have  got  rockets  and  blue  lights,  sir.  Shall  I  send  a 
rocket  up  ?  They  are  sure  to  find  us,  so  we  lose  nothing  by 
showing  them  where  we  are." 

"Yes,  they  are  sure  to  find  us.  I  don't  like  their  being 
such  a  long  time  in  getting  to  us." 

"They  do  come  wonderfully  slow,"  Miller  agreed. 

"  Do  you  know,  Miller,  I  have  been  thinking  for  some  time 
that  there  must  be  some  cause  for  it,  and  the  only  reason  I  can 
see  is  that  they  may  be  towing." 

"By  Jove,  so  they  may!  I  did  not  think  of  that.  It  will  be 
awkward  if  we  have  got  a  ship  to  fight  as  well  as  the  boats." 

"Very  awkward.  Send  up  a  rocket,  we  may  as  well  settle 
the  question.  Pass  the  word  round  for  the  men  to  train  their 
guns  as  nearly  as  they  can  in  the  direction  in  which  we  can 
hear  the  oars,  and  to  fire  when  they  get  light. " 

A  minute  later  a  rocket  shot  up  in  the  air.  As  it  burst  a 
number  of  boats  were  seen  crowded  together,  towing  behind 
them  two  large  brigs.  There  was  a  moment's  pause  while  the 
men  at  the  guns  adjusted  their  aim,  then  the  pivot-gun  roared 
out,  and  the  four  on  the  broadside  followed  in  quick  succes- 
sion. The  distance  was  about  six  hundred  yards,  and  the 
crashing  of  wood,  followed  by  a  chorus  of  shouts  and  cries, 
arose  as  the  storm  of  grape  swept  down  upon  the  boats. 

"Load  again,  lads,  as  quick  as  you  can,"  Martyn  shouted. 
"Show  a  couple  of  blue  lights,  quarter-master.  Boatswain, 
load  the  pivot  with  ball,  and  fire  as  fast  as  you  can  at  the 
brigs;  never  mind  the  boats,  we  will  attend  to  them." 

The  blue  lights  were  lit  and  a  rocket  sent  up,  so  as  to  burst 
over  the  enemy,  and  again  a  broadside  of  grape  was  poured 
in,  while  a  shot  from  the  pivot-gun  crashed  into  the  bows  of 


KLPtLUN'i    IHE    TUKKlall    HOARDERS 


FIRE-SHIPS  -(9 

one  of  the  brigs;  these  had  apparently  been  lashed  together, 
so  that  the  boats  could  tow  them  on  a  broad  front.  A  con- 
fused din  came  across  the  water;  shouts,  cries,  and  orders 
mingled  together.  As  far  as  could  be  seen  everything  was  in 
confusion.  Some  of  the  boats  had  sunk,  and  the  occupants 
were  being  pulled  on  board  of  the  others.  Some  had  thrown 
off  their  tow-ropes  and  were  heading  for  the  schooner,  others 
lay  helpless  in  the  water. 

"Keep  the  rockets  going,  quarter-master,"  Martyn  said; 
"the  more  light  we  have  the  better.  Horace,  tell  the  men  at 
the  aft  and  forward  guns  to  aim  at  the  boats  rowing  towards 
us;  let  the  two  midship  guns  keep  on  at  the  crowd  in  front  of 
the  brigs.  They  have  sent  a  pretty  strong  force  against  us. 
There  must  have  been  fully  twenty  of  these  boats  at  first; 
there  are  about  sixteen  of  them  now,  and  they  are  all  large 
ones.  Depress  the  guns  on  the  other  broadside  as  far  as  they 
will  go,  Mr.  Tarleton,  we  shall  have  some  of  them  round  on 
that  side  presently.      Cant  them  down  as  much  as  you  can." 

Two  more  of  the  boats  towing  were  disabled  by  the  next 
broadside,  and  the  rest,  throwing  off  the  ropes,  rowed  straight 
for  the  schooner. 

"Aim  steadily,  men!"  Martyn  shouted.  "Pick  out  your 
boats  before  you  fire." 

Two  of  the  boats  were  sunk  as  they  approached,  three 
others  fell  behind  crippled;  but  the  others,  with  loud  shouts, 
made  straight  at  the  vessel.  As  they  approached  her  they 
opened  a  fire  of  musketry,  which  was  answered  by  the  rifles 
and  muskets  of  the  sailors.  As  they  swept  up  alongside  shots 
were  heaved  down  into  them,  and  the  crashing  of  planks  told 
that  they  had  done  their  work.  The  guns  on  the  starboard 
side  were  silent  at  first,  as  the  first  boats  came  up  so  close 
alongside  that  they  could  not  reach  them;  but  those  that  fol- 
lowed were  further  out,  and  two  were  instantly  sunk. 

As  the  Turks  strove  to  climb  up  the  side  and  cut  their  way 
through  the  boarding-netting,  they  were  shot  down  by  pistols 
or  run  through  by  boarding-pikes.      A  few  managed  to  climb 


280  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

over  or  force  their  way  through  the  netting,  but  these  were 
cut  down  before  they  could  obtain  a  footing  on  deck.  For 
ten  minutes  the  fight  went  on  by  the  flare  of  the  blue  lights, 
and  then  eight  Turkish  boats,  which  alone  floated,  rowed 
away,  crowded  with  the  survivors  from  the  others.  A  loud 
cheer  broke    ffom  the  schooner. 

"Never  mind  them,  my  men,"  Martyn  shouted;  "load  with 
ball  now  and  aim  at  the  brigs." 

These  had  taken  no  part  whatever  in  the  fight.  Left 
by  the  boats  head  on  to  the  schooner,  and  almost  without 
steerage-way,  they  had  in  vain  endeavoured  to  get  broadside 
on  so  as  to  bring  their  guns  to  bear.  The  lashings  had  been 
cut,  and  the  rudders  been  put  in  opposite  directions;  they 
had  drifted  a  little  apart  with  their  heads  outwards,  and  as 
the  boats  rowed  away  from  the  schooner  they  opened  fire  with 
their  bow-guns.  The  boatswain,  with  the  men  working  the 
pivot-gun,  had  from  the  first  continued  steadily  at  their  work 
regardless  of  the  din  around  them,  Horace  taking  his  place 
beside  them,  in  order  to  call  them  off  to  aid  in  repelling  the 
Turks  should  they  gain  a  footing  anywhere  on  the  deck. 
When  the  boarding-netting  had  been  triced  up,  a  gap  had  been 
left  opposite  the  gun,  and  the  fire  at  the  brigs  had  been  kept 
up  without  intermission,  every  shot  raking  one  or  other  of 
them  fore  and  aft. 

As  soon  as  the  boats  were  fairly  away,  the  guns  from  the 
starboard  side  were  run  across,  the  spare  ports  being  thrown 
open,  and  the  eight  guns  all  brought  into  play  to  aid  the  pivot- 
gun.  As  soon  as  the  boats  reached  the  brigs  they  took  shelter 
behind  them,  and  in  a  short  time  both  craft  began  to  swing 
round,  their  guns  firing  as  they  were  brought  to  bear. 

"Eight  guns  a  side,"  Miller  said;  "but  it  would  not  matter 
if  there  were  twenty,  if  they  did  not  aim  better  than  that;" 
for  not  a  single  shot  had  struck  the  schooner.  One  or  two 
passed  overhead,  but  the  rest  went  wide. 

Instead  of  the  brigs  being  left  broadside  on  as  they  had 
expected,  their  heads  swept  round  until  they  were  stern  on  to 
the  schooner,  then  they  began  slowly  to  glide  away. 


FIRE-SHIPS  281 

"They  have  had  enough  of  it,"  Miller  exclaimed,  and 
another  cheer  broke  from  the  schooner. 

"Cease  firing!"  Martyn  said.  "If  they  leave  us  alone  we 
are  content  to  leave  them  alone;  they  must  have  suffered 
tremendously  as  it  is." 

An  examination  was  now  made  as  to  the  casualties.  Four 
men  had  been  killed,  all  were  shot  through  the  head,  as  they 
had  fired  over  the  bulwark  at  the  boats  as  they  came  alongside  ; 
six  others  were  wounded  more  or  less  seriously,  by  pistol  shots 
that  had  been  fired  by  the  Turks  as  they  tried  to  climb  on 
board — a  small  total  indeed,  considering  the  nature  of  the 
attack.  When  morning  dawned  the  brigs  could  be  made  out 
near  the  opposite  shore,  they  were  still  being  towed  by  the 
boats;  but  as  they  were  looking  at  them,  sail  was  made  as  a 
light  breeze  sprang  up.  When  the  wind  reached  them,  the 
mainmast  of  one  was  seen  to  go  over  the  side,  having  doubt- 
less been  wounded  by  the  raking  fire,  and  carrying  in  its  fall 
the  fore  top-gallant  mast  and  topmast.  A  quarter  of  an  hour 
later  the  breeze  reached  the  schooner.  The  decks  had  been 
already  washed  down,  and  everything  had  resumed  its  ordinary 
aspect,  and  before  getting  up  the  anchor  the  four  men  who 
had  fallen,  and  who  had  already  been  sewn  up  in  hammocks, 
were  committed  to  the  sea,  Mr.  Beveridge  reading  the  funeral 
service  over  them.  Mr.  Macfarlane  reported  that  the  wounded 
were  all  likely  to  do  well. 

As  soon  as  the  fight  was  over  the  women  and  children,  who 
had  been  suffering  agonies  of  terror  while  it  had  been  going 
on,  had  been  brought  out  from  the  hold  and  allowed  to  sleep 
as  usual  on  the  lower  deck,  which  had  been  entirely  given  up 
to  them;  and  when  the  schooner  got  under  weigh  they  were 
permitted  to  come  up  on  deck.  Although  they  had  been 
assured  by  Zaimes  and  his  brother  that  all  danger  was  over, 
their  first  action  on  coming  up  was  to  look  round  timidly,  and 
they  were  evidently  greatly  relieved  when  they  saw  that  the 
sea  was  clear  of  enemies.  They  looked  much  surprised  at 
seeing  everything  going  on  as  usual,  and  at  the  absence  of 


282  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

any  signs  of  the  terrible  conflict  they  had  heard  raging  round 
them  the  night  before — the  bullet  marks  in  the  bulwarks 
being  the  only  evidences  of  what  had  passed.  It  had  already 
been  decided  to  sail  for  Greece  in  the  course  of  a  day  or  two, 
as  they  had  as  many  fugitives  on  board  as  they  could  carry, 
and  it  was  now  determined  to  do  so  at  once.  As  they  sailed 
west  they  made  out  a  large  number  of  ships  approaching,  and 
were  soon  running  through  the  Greek  fleet. 

"I  am  sorry  we  left  now,"  Miller  said;  "we  shall  miss  a 
fight." 

"  I  expect  we  shall  be  back  in  time,"  Macfarlane  remarked; 
"the  Greeks  are  in  no  great  hurry  to  fight.  It  is  two  months 
since  they  were  sent  for,  when  the  landing  was  made  at  Chios; 
and  after  taking  all  this  time  to  make  up  their  minds  about 
it,  they  are  likely  to  take  a  few  days  before  they  make  up  their 
minds  to  have  a  tussle  with  the  Turks.  The  Greek  mind,  I 
observe,  is  full  of  contradictions;  sometimes,  especially  if 
there  is  plunder  to  be  got,  their  eagerness  is  just  wonderful; 
but  when  it  is  a  question  of  fighting,  their  caution  is  very 
remarkable." 

Miller  laughed.  "I  daresay  you  are  right,  doctor,  and  I 
don't  feel  at  all  confident  that  there  will  be  a  fight.  So  far 
the  Greek  fleet  has  done  nothing,  and  their  only  idea  of  fight- 
ing a  Turkish  ship  has  been  to  launch  a  fire-ship  against  it." 

"Fire-ships  are  no  good  against  enemies  who  know  what 
they  are  doing,"  Martyn  said.  "A  couple  of  boats  can  always 
tow  a  fire-ship  clear;  but  the  Turks  are  lubberly  sailors,  and 
these  fire-ships  seem  almost  to  paralyse  them." 

"  I  can't  make  it  out,"  Miller  put  in,  "  why  the  Turks  should 
manoeuvre  their  vessels  so  badly,  considering  that  their  sailors 
are  for  the  most  part  Thessalians,  drawn  from  the  Mohamme- 
dan sea-side  villages,  Albanians  by  blood,  just  as  the  Hydriots 
are." 

"They  want  British  officers,"  the  doctor  said.  "Officers 
are  always  the  weak  point  with  the  Turks.  There  are  no 
braver  soldiers  in  the  world  when  they  are  well  led.      But  they 


FIRE-SHIPS  283 

never  are  well  led  now;  their  pashas  seem  to  be  chosen  for 
stupidity  and  obstinacy.  It  is  a  great  pity  that  we  did  not 
make  up  our  minds  to  take  Turkey  instead  of  India.  Eh, 
man !  we  should  have  made  a  grand  country  of  it  when  we 
had  once  got  it  into  order." 

"We  shall  make  a  grand  country  of  India  some  day,  doctor. 
I  have  never  been  out  there;  but  there  is  no  doubt  that  just 
what  you  say  about  the  Turks  is  true  of  the  natives  there,  and 
they  make  very  good  soldiers  when  they  have  British  officers 
to  lead  them." 

"So  they  say,  Captain  Martyn;  but  you  must  remember  that 
they  have  only  fought  against  other  natives  without  British 
officers  to  lead  them.  We  must  wait  till  we  see  them  fighting 
against  European  troops  of  some  other  nation  before  we  can 
say  that  they  are  fine  soldiers." 

"  If  we  wait  till  then,  we  are  likely  to  wait  a  long  time, 
doctor.  Besides,  you  must  remember  they  did  fight  well  against 
the  French  troops  under  Dupleix." 

"  So  they  did,  but  not  till  they  got  the  idea  that  our  soldiers 
were  better  than  the  French.  But,  as  you  say,  it  will  be  a  long 
time  before  they  get  the  chance  again.  The  French  are  no 
longer  a  power  in  India;  nor  are  the  Dutch;  and  the  distance 
is  too  long  for  either  ever  to  send  out  an  army  big  enough  to 
wrest  India  from  us;  and  as  to  marching  by  land — well,  it 
could  not  be  done." 

The  next  day  they  reached  the  port  of  Athens,  and  got  rid 
of  their  cargo  of  passengers,  and  then,  with  every  sail  set, 
hurried  back  to  Chios,  touching  at  Psara  on  the  way,  as,  from 
the  direction  in  which  the  Greeks  were  steering,  they  thought 
it  probable  they  might  have  made  a  stay  there.  A  small 
Psariot  vessel  had  just  come  in  from  the  fleet,  and  Horace, 
who  had  gone  ashore  with  Marco,  learned  that  Miaoulis,  the 
Greek  admiral,  had  coasted  along  the  north  of  Chios,  and  that 
the  Turks  had  at  once  weighed  anchor  and  gone  out  to  engage 
him.  The  Greeks,  not  caring  to  fight  in  the  narrow  waters, 
where  their    power  of    manoeuvring  would  be  thrown  away, 


284  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

had  stood  out,  and  an  engagement  had  taken  place  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Gulf  of  Smyrna." 

"We  fought  most  valiantly,"  the  Greek  said,  "and  it  was  a 
drawn  battle." 

"But  what  was  done?"  Horace  asked.  " How  many  ves- 
sels were  sunk  on  each  side?  " 

"  Oh,  there  were  no  vessels  sunk.  They  fired  at  us,  and 
we  fired  at  them." 

"Were  there  many  killed  and  wounded?  " 

"No;  I  don't  think  there  were  any  killed  and  wounded. 
You  see  we  manoeuvred  round  the  Turks.  We  could  not  go 
near,  because  their  guns  were  much  heavier  than  ours.  We 
sent  down  a  fire-ship  among  them;  but  unfortunately  they 
evaded  it,  and  some  of  our  most  daring  captains  ventured  so 
close  that  their  ships  were  struck  by  the  Turkish  shot.  Yes- 
terday the  combat  was  renewed  again.  The  cannonading  was 
like  thunder,  and  this  morning  we  again  fought.  Then  we 
needed  rest,  and  to  get  fresh  meat  we  sailed  back." 

Horace  had  difficulty  in  restraining  his  expressions  of  dis- 
gust at  the  conduct  of  the  fleet  that  had,  after  two  months' 
delay,  at  last  sailed  to  annihilate  the  Turks;  and  as  they 
walked  back  to  their  boat  Marco  poured  out,  in  an  undertone, 
volumes  of  execrations  in  choice  Greek. 

As  they  reached  the  schooner  the  doctor  looked  over  the 
side.  "We  are  not  too  late,  Horace;  there's  the  Greek  fleet 
rounding  the  point.  As  we  can't  make  out  with  our  glass  a 
shot-hole  in  their  sails  or  a  splinter  on  their  bulwarks,  it  is 
evident  that  I  was  right,  and  that  we  are  in  plenty  of  time  to 
see  the  engagement." 

"You  are  mistaken,  doctor,"  Horace  said  as  he  reached 
the  deck.  "  There  has  been  a  great  naval  battle,  lasting  three 
days.  There  are  no  killed  or  wounded;  but  one  or  two  ships, 
commanded  by  daring  captains,  ventured  within  gun-shot  of 
the  Turks,  and  were  struck.  That  is  the  exact  history  of  the 
affair,  as  I  learned  it  from  one  of  the  heroes." 

"Is  that  really  the  story  you  have  heard,  Horace?"  Mr. 
Beveridee  asked. 


FIRE-SHIPS  285 

"It  is,  father;  almost  in  the  words  that  it  was  told  to  me." 

"I  really  think,"  Martyn  said,  seeing  how  depressed  Mr. 
Beveridge  looked  at  the  news,  "that  much  more  could  hardly 
be  expected  from  the  Greeks.  Their  ships  are  for  the  most 
part  small,  and  their  metal  very  light.  They  have  not  the 
slightest  idea  of  discipline  or  of  working  in  concert.  A 
Turkish  broadside  would  sink  half  a  dozen  of  them  if  they 
ventured  to  close  quarters ;  and  of  course  their  superior  sea- 
manship is  not  of  the  slightest  avail  as  long  as  they  fight  at  a 
distance." 

"It  would  avail  if  they  had  pluck,"  Horace  said  bitterly. 
"The  English  ships  that  went  out  to  engage  the  great  galleons 
of  the  Spanish  Armada  were  as  inferior  in  tonnage  and  in 
weight  of  metal  as  the  Greeks  are;  but  for  all  that  they  gave 
a  good  account  of  them." 

"Yes,  Horace;  but  you  must  remember  that  the  English 
sailors  had  been  fighting  and  thrashing  the  Spaniards  for  years 
before,  and  had  come  almost  to  despise  them;  while  the 
Greeks  have  never  fought  before,  have  no  confidence  in  them- 
selves, and  hold  the  Turks  in  high  respect." 

"You  can't  expect,"  the  doctor  put  in,  "that  bulldogs  are 
going  to  be  manufactured  out  of  mongrels  in  one  generation, 
Horace.  A  fighting  race  grows  up  little  by  little.  The  Greeks 
fought  just  as  pluckily  in  the  old  days,  against  big  odds,  as 
we  ever  did,  and  may  do  it  again  in  time;  but  they  have  got 
to  be  built  up  to  it." 

"Thank  you,  doctor,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said.  "We  keep  on 
forgetting  that  the  Greeks  have  been  slaves,  and  that  slaves 
lose  all  their  military  virtues.  It  was  just  the  same  thing  with 
the  Britons.  Their  valour  excited  the  admiration  of  Caesar; 
but  after  being  under  the  domination  of  the  Romans  for  gen- 
erations, they  completely  lost  all  their  manhood,  and  fell  easy 
victims  to  the  Saxons.  We  must  not  be  too  hard  on  the 
Greeks,  Horace,  or  expect  them  to  behave  as  men  whose 
fathers  have  been  free  and  independent." 

In  the  evening  Miller  went  ashore  with  Mr.  Beveridge  and 


286  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

had  a  talk  with  some  Philhellenes  who  had  joined  the  expe- 
dition. They  all  agreed  that  Miaoulis  had  manoeuvred  his 
ships  well,  always  keeping  the  weather-gauge  of  the  Turks; 
but  there  was  no  shadow  of  discipline  among  the  ships,  and 
their  fire  was  as  wild  and  inefficient  as  that  of  the  Turks,  the 
men  loading  and  firing  as  quickly  as  they  could,  quite  regard- 
less of  the  direction  or  distance  of  their  shot,  the  great  part 
of  which  entered  the  sea  half-way  between  the  combatants. 

"  Kanaris  is  here,"  they  said,  "and  you  will  see  that  he  at 
least  will  attempt  something  against  the  Turks  before  he  is 
done." 

It  was  not,  however,  until  fifteen  days  later  that  any  move 
was  made.  Kanaris  had  paid  a  visit  to  the  Misericordia,  and 
was  greatly  struck  by  the  order  and  discipline  that  prevailed. 

"  Our  men  will  not  submit  to  it,  Mr.  Beveridge.  It  is  in 
vain  to  assure  them  that  nothing  can  be  done  unless  we  can 
introduce  discipline  such  as  prevails  on  ships  of  war  of  other 
nations.  Unfortunately  they  have  been  accustomed  to  an- 
other state  of  things.  The  sailors  are  always  paid  by  a  share 
in  the  profits  of  our  voyages,  and  everyone  has  a  say  as  to 
the  ports  to  be  visited  and  the  course  to  be  steered.  Be- 
fore any  change  is  made  there  is  always  a  general  council  of 
all  on  board,  and  the  matter  is  decided  by  vote.  Such  being 
the  habit,  you  can  understand  the  difficulty  of  getting  these 
men  to  submit  to  anything  like  discipline.  Another  thing 
is,  that  the  ships  belong  to  private  persons,  and  not  to  the 
state,  although  they  may  receive  pay  from  government.  They 
are  therefore  very  chary  of  exposing  their  vessels  to  the  risk 
of  loss,  for  which,  more  likely  than  not,  they  would  never 
receive  a  penny  from  the  central  government,  which  has  plenty 
of  objects  of  much  greater  interest  to  its  members  to  spend 
its  money  upon.  Until  some  total  change  takes  place  in  the 
organization  and  manning  of  our  fleet,  I  can  see  no  hope  of 
any  improvement." 

On  the  1 8th  of  June  two  ships  got  up  anchor  and  sailed. 
On  board  the  schooner  their  progress  was  watched  with  inter- 


FIRE-SHIPS  287 

est.  Kanaris  had  confided  to  Mr.  Beveridge  that  the  ships 
were  loaded  with  combustibles,  and  that  he  was  going  to 
attempt  to  set  fire  to  the  Turkish  fleet.  The  wind  was  con- 
trary, and  the  two  craft  tacked  backwards  and  forwards  off 
the  north  of  Chios  as  if  intending  to  beat  up  the  Gulf  of 
Smyrna.  Four  hours  after  they  had  started  the  schooner  also 
got  under  way,  as  all  were  anxious  to  see  what  would  take 
place,  and  Mr.  Beveridge  had  told  Kanaris  that  he  would  go 
within  a  short  distance  of  the  Turkish  fleet  and  burn  a  blue 
light,  so  that  the  boats  on  leaving  the  fire-ships  could  row  off 
to  him  and  be  taken  back  to  Psara. 

It  was  the  last  day  of  the  Ramazan,  and  a  number  of  the 
principal  officers  of  the  Turkish  fleet  had  been  invited  by  the 
Capitan  Pasha  to  dine  with  him  on  board  his  flag-ship  to 
celebrate  the  feast  of  Bairam.  The  night  was  a  dark  one,  but 
the  whole  of  the  Turkish  vessels  were  illuminated  in  honour 
of  the  festival,  and  their  outlines  were  clearly  visible.  The 
Misericordia  had  entered  the  northern  passage  an  hour  after 
nightfall;  the  two  Greek  ships  being,  when  last  seen,  about 
three  miles  ahead.  The  schooner  lay-to  a  couple  of  miles 
distant  from  the  anchorage.  They  had  scarcely  done  so  when 
they  made  out  the  sails  of  two  vessels  between  them  and  the 
lines  of  light  on  the  Turkish  war-ships. 

"There  they  go,"  Martyn  said,  "steering  straight  in.  One 
of  them  is  making  straight  for  the  Capitan  Pasha's  own  ship. 
No  doubt  that  is  Kanaris  himself.  The  other  is  making  for 
that  seventy-four  that  carries  the  flag  of  the  Reala  Bey.  You 
can  tell  them  by  the  variegated  lamps  along  their  yards.  The 
Turks  evidently  have  not  caught  sight  of  them  yet  or  they 
would  open  fire.  On  such  a  dark  night  as  this  I  don't  suppose 
they  will  make  them  out  till  they  are  close  alongside." 

Kanaris,  a  man  of  the  greatest  calmness  and  courage,  was 
himself  at  the  helm  of  his  craft.  Running  straight  before 
the  wind,  he  steered  down  upon  the  eighty-gun  ship  of  the 
Capitan  Pasha.  Not  until  he  was  within  a  ship's  length  was 
he  observed,  when  a  startled  hail  sounded  from  the  deck  of 


288  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

the  Turkish  ship.  Steering  straight  on  he  ran  his  bowsprit 
through  one  of  her  port-holes.  The  sailors  instantly  threw  some 
grapnels  to  retain  her  in  her  position,  and  then  jumped  into 
their  boat  lying  alongside.  As  soon  as  they  did  so  Kanaris 
fired  his  pistol  into  the  train.  The  fire  flashed  along  the 
deck,  there  were  a  series  of  sharp  explosions,  and  then  the 
flames  ran  aloft,  the  riggings  and  sails  being  soaked  with  tur- 
pentine; and  Kanaris  had  scarcely  stepped  into  his  boat 
before  the  ship  was  in  a  mass  of  flames. 

Lying  to  windward  of  the  Turk  the  flames  were  blown  on 
to  her,  and  pouring  in  at  the  open  port-holes  at  once  set  fire 
to  a  quantity  of  tents  stowed  on  the  lower  deck,  rushed  up  the 
hatches,  and,  mingling  with  the  flames  from  the  sails  which 
had  ignited  the  awning  extending  over  the  deck,  ran  up  the 
rigging  and  spars  of  the  man-of-war.  The  most  terrible  con- 
fusion instantly  prevailed  throughout  the  ship.  The  few  boats 
alongside  were  sunk  by  the  crowds  who  leapt  into  them.  The 
crews  of  the  ships  lying  round  at  once  began  to  haul  them 
farther  away  from  the  blazing  vessel,  and  the  boats  that  were 
lowered  feared  to  approach  it  because  of  the  falling  spars  and 
the  flames  that  poured  from  the  lower  port-holes. 

In  addition  to  her  crew,  the  soldiers  on  board,  and  the 
Pasha's  guests,  were  a  great  number  of  prisoners  who  had  been 
brought  off  from  the  island  to  be  taken  to  Constantinople, 
and  the  shrieks  and  cries  as  they  were  caught  by  the  flames, 
or  sprang  overboard  to  evade  them,  were  terrible.  Kara  Ali 
himself  sprang  from  the  ship  into  a  boat  that  approached  near 
enough  for  the  purpose  of  saving  him;  but  before  it  could 
put  off  a  blazing  spar  fell  on  it,  and  the  Capitan  Pasha  was  so 
severely  wounded  that  he  died  shortly  after  being  carried  on 
shore. 

His  loss  was  a  severe  one  for  the  Turks,  for  he  was  their 
most  skilful  naval  officer.  A  few  of  those  who  leapt  over- 
board were  picked  up  by  boats,  or  swam  to  the  other  ships; 
but  with  these  exceptions  the  whole  of  those  on  board  the 
vessel  perished.     The  other  fire-ship  had  been  less  calmly 


FIRE-SHIPS  2S9 

and  skilfully  managed.  In  his  haste  and  excitement  the  com- 
mander, after  running  her  alongside  the  ship  of  the  Reala 
Bey,  fired  the  train  and  made  off  without  attaching  her  to  it, 
consequently  the  fire-ship  drifted  away  without  the  flames 
communicating  to  the  Turk,  and  burned  out  harmlessly. 

As  soon  as  it  was  seen  that  Kanaris  had  succeeded,  a  blue 
light  was  burned  on  board  the  schooner,  and  in  twenty  min- 
utes the  two  boats  rowed  alongside.  Not  a  shot  had  been  fired 
at  either,  the  Turks  being  too  much  occupied  with  the  danger 
of  fire  to  pay  any  attention  to  them.  Kanaris  was  heartily 
congratulated  on  his  success  when  he  reached  the  schooner, 
which  at  once  set  sail  and  was  back  at  Psara  in  the  morning, 
where  the  news  of  the  destruction  of  the  Turkish  man-of-war 
was  received  with  the  wildest  enthusiasm. 

The  Turkish  vessels,  leaving  a  strong  garrison  on  the  island, 
sailed  north  a  few  days  later.  They  were  pursued  by  the 
Greek  fleet,  which,  however,  did  not  venture  to  interfere  with 
them,  although  they  stopped  at  two  ports  on  the  way,  and 
finally  anchored  under  the  guns  of  the  forts  of  the  Darda- 
nelles. The  Misericordia  took  no  part  in  harassing  the 
Turkish  fleet.  Martyn  had  asked  Mr.  Beveridge's  opinion 
upon  the  subject,  he  himself  being  in  favour  of  doing  so. 

"  I  think  we  could  give  the  Greeks  a  lesson  or  two  in  this 
sort  of  thing,  sir,  and  show  them  what  can  be  done,  even 
against  a  fleet,  by  a  craft  that  means  business." 

"  I  am  sure  you  could  do  all  that,  Martyn,  but  I  do  not 
think  we  should  be  justified  in  running  the  slightest  risk  of 
loss  of  life  among  the  men  merely  for  that  purpose.  We  could 
do  no  more  than  the  Greeks  do  unless  we  were  willing  to 
expose  ourselves  more.  You  could  not  hope  either  to  capture 
or  sink  one  of  the  Turkish  ships  in  the  face  of  their  whole 
fleet.  I  know  you  would  give  them  a  great  deal  of  trouble, 
but  more  than  that  you  could  not  do.  When  the  Greeks  show 
themselves  willing  to  fight  we  will  fight  by  their  side,  but  not 
before." 

They  were  indeed  glad  that  they  so  decided,  for  on  the 


290  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

evening  before  the  Greeks  set  sail  a  boat  arrived  at  Psara  with 
six  fugitives  from  Chios.  They  reported  that  the  destruction 
of  the  Capitan  Pasha's  ship  with  all  on  board  had  brought 
fresh  misfortunes  upon  the  Christians,  for  that  the  Mussulmans, 
infuriated  by  the  details  of  the  disaster,  had  fallen  upon  the 
Christians  all  over  the  island,  even  in  the  villages  where 
hitherto  there  had  been  no  trouble. 

The  second  massacre  was  indeed  far  more  fatal  than  the 
first,  the  women  and  children  being,  as  before,  spared  as  slaves, 
many  thousands  being  carried  away.  Small  craft  from  Psara 
hovered  round  the  island  and  succeeded  in  taking  off  num- 
bers of  fugitives,  while  the  schooner  returned  to  her  cruising 
grounds  between  the  island  and  the  mainland,  or  up  the  Gulf 
of  Smyrna,  where  she  captured  and  burnt  large  numbers  of  small 
craft  laden  with  slaves.  They  had  to  make  four  trips  to  the 
islands  to  clear  her  crowded  decks  of  the  hapless  Chiots. 

The  news  of  the  massacres  of  Chios,  which,  unlike  those 
committed  by  themselves,  the  Greeks  spread  sedulously  over 
Europe,  excited  deep  and  general  horror  and  indignation. 
The  numbers  of  those  killed  or  sold  into  slavery  were  never 
known.  The  estimates  varied  considerably,  some  putting 
them  down  at  twenty  thousand  while  others  maintained  that 
those  figures  could  be  doubled  without  exaggeration.  It  is 
probable,  however,  that  they  really  exceeded  thirty  thousand. 

The  details  of  the  terrible  massacres,  which  they  learnt  from 
the  women  they  rescued,  aroused  among  the  officers  and  crew 
of  the  Misericordia  a  far  deeper  feeling  of  enthusiasm  for  the 
cause  of  Greece  than  they  had  hitherto  felt.  Since  they  came 
out  their  interest  in  the  cause  had  been  steadily  waning. 
The  tales  of  wholesale  and  brutal  massacre,  the  constant  vio- 
lation of  the  terms  of  surrender,  the  cowardice  of  the  Greeks 
in  action  and  their  eagerness  for  plunder,  the  incessant  dis- 
putes between  the  various  parties,  and  the  absence  of  any 
general  attempt  to  concert  measures  for  defence,  had  com- 
pletely damped  their  sympathy  for  them:  but  the  sight  of 
these  hundreds  of  women  and  children  widowed  and  orphaned, 


FIRE-SHIPS  291 

and  torn  away  from  their  native  land  and  sold  into  slavery, 
set  their  blood  boiling  with  indignation.  The  two  Greeks 
took  care  to  translate  the  narratives  of  the  weeping  women  to 
the  sailors,  and  these  excited  among  them  a  passionate  desire 
to  punish  the  authors  of  these  outrages;  and  had  any  of  the 
craft  they  overhauled  made  an  active  resistance  little  mercy 
would  have  been  shown  to  the  Turks.  As  it  was  they  were 
bundled  headlong  into  their  boats  with  many  a  hearty  kick 
and  cuff  from  the  sailors,  and  the  destruction  of  their  vessels 
was  effected  with  the  alacrity  and  satisfaction  of  men  per- 
forming an  act  of  righteous  retribution. 

"The  poor  creatures  seemed  terribly  cast  down,"  Martyn 
said  one  day  at  dinner  as  they  sailed  with  the  last  batch  of 
Chiots  for  Corfu.  They  had  transported  the  three  previous 
cargoes  to  the  Ionian  Islands,  as  the  former  ones  had  been 
most  unwillingly  received  in  the  Greek  ports,  the  authorities 
saying  that  they  had  no  means  of  affording  subsistence  to  the 
fugitives  who  were  daily  arriving.  In  the  Ionian  Islands 
committees  had  been  formed,  and  these  distributed  money  sent 
out  from  England  for  their  support,  while  rations  were  issued 
to  them  by  the  British  authorities  of  the  islands. 

"One  can't  wonder  at  that,"  Miller  said.  "Still,  I  must 
say  that  the  women  even  at  first  don't  seem  as  delighted  as 
one  would  expect  at  getting  out  of  the  hands  of  the  Turks." 

"I  am  not  so  very  sure,  Miller,  that  they  are  delighted  at 
all,"  Macfarlane  said  quietly.  "You  think  you  are  doing  them 
the  greatest  service  possible,  but  in  my  opinion  it  is  more  than 
doubtful  whether  they  see  it  in  the  same  light." 

"What!  not  thankful  at  being  rescued  from  being  sold  as 
slaves  to  the  Turks?" 

"That  sounds  very  terrible,  and  no  doubt  it  would  not  be  a 
pleasant  lot  for  you,  seeing  that  they  would  set  you  to  work, 
and  your  life  would  be  worse  than  a  dog's.  But  you  have  got 
to  put  yourself  in  the  position  of  these  unfortunate  women  and 
girls,  and  then  you  would  see  that  you  might  think  differently 
about  it.    To  begin  with,  till  now  there  has  been  no  animosity 


292  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

between  them  and  the  Turks.  It  is  admitted  that  the  Turks 
have  been  gentle  masters  to  Chios,  and  the  people  have  been 
happy,  contented,  and  prosperous.  Their  misfortunes  have 
been  brought  upon  them,  not  by  the  Turks,  but  by  the  Greeks, 
who  came  to  the  island  contrary  to  their  entreaties,  plundered 
and  ill  used  them,  and  then  left  them  to  the  vengeance  of  the 
Turks.  So  if  they  have  any  preference  for  either,  it  will  cer- 
tainly not  be  for  the  Greeks. 

"As  to  their  being  sold  as  slaves,  I  do  not  suppose  they 
view  it  at  all  in  the  same  way  we  do.  They  are  not  going  to 
be  sold  to  work  in  the  fields,  or  anything  of  that  sort,  and  the 
Turks  treat  their  domestic  slaves  kindly.  To  one  of  these 
Chiot  girls  there  is  nothing  very  terrible  in  being  a  slave  in 
the  household  of  a  rich  Turk.  You  know  that  the  Georgian 
and  Circassian  girls  look  forward  to  being  sold  to  the  Turks. 
They  know  that  the  life  at  Constantinople  is  vastly  easier  and 
more  luxurious  than  that  at  home.  I  do  not  say  for  a  moment 
that  these  women  would  not  prefer  a  life  of  ease  among  their 
own  people  and  friends.  But  what  is  the  life  before  them 
now? — to  have  to  work  for  their  own  living  in  the  fields,  or  to 
go  as  servants  among  Greek  and  Italian  families.  A  dark  and 
uncertain  future.  I  tell  you,  man,  we  think  we  are  doing  them 
a  mighty  service,  but  I  doubt  whether  there  is  one  of  them 
that  thinks  so.  The  Chiots  are  celebrated  for  their  docility 
and  intelligence,  and  these  women  and  children  would  fetch 
high  prices  in  the  market,  and  be  purchased  by  wealthy  Turks, 
and  their  lot  would  be  an  enviable  one  in  comparison  to  that 
which  awaits  most  of  them. 

"The  word  slavery  is  hateful  to  us,  but  it  is  not  so  many 
years  since  we  were  sending  people  out  in  hundreds  to  work  as 
slaves  in  the  plantations  of  Virginia.  The  word  slavery  in  the 
East  has  not  the  same  terror  as  it  has  with  us,  and  I  doubt  if 
the  feelings  of  a  Chiot  peasant  girl  on  her  way  to  be  sold  are 
not  a  good  deal  like  those  of  a  girl  who  goes  up  from  a  Scotch 
or  English  village  to  Edinburgh  or  London,  to  go  into  service 
in  a  grand  family.     She  thinks  she  is  going  to  better  herself, 


FIRE-SHIPS  293 

to  have  fine  clothes,  and  to  live  among  fine  people;  and,  as  it 
turns  out,  maybe  she  is  better  off  than  she  was  before,  maybe 
she  is  worse." 

"You  are  a  most  disagreeable  man,  Macfarlane,"  Martyn 
said  after  a  pause.  "  Here  have  we  been  thinking  that  we 
have  been  doing  a  good  action,  and  you  put  us  altogether  out 
of  conceit  with  ourselves." 

"We  have  been  doing  a  good  action,"  the  doctor  said. 
"We  have  been  acting  according  to  our  lights.  To  us  it  is 
an  abominable  thing  that  a  Greek  woman  or  child  should  be 
sold  as  a  slave  to  the  heathen  Turk.  I  am  only  pointing  out 
to  you  that  from  their  point  of  view  there  is  nothing  so  ter- 
rible in  their  lot,  and  that  we  have  no  reason  to  expect  any 
very  lively  gratitude  from  them;  and  that,  looking  at  the 
matter  only  from  a  material  point  of  view,  they  are  not  likely 
to  be  benefited  by  the  change.  I  know  that,  if  I  were  a  Greek 
woman,  I  would  rather  be  a  slave  in  the  family  of  a  rich  Turk 
than  working  as  a  drudge,  say,  in  the  family  of  a  Maltese 
shopkeeper,  though,  if  I  were  a  Scotch  girl,  I  should  cer- 
tainly choose  the  other  way." 

They  all  sat  silent  for  a  minute  or  two.  The  idea  was  a 
wholly  new  one  to  them,  and  they  could  not  deny  that,  ac- 
cording to  the  point  of  view  of  these  Chiot  captives,  it  was 
a  reasonable  one.     Mr.  Beveridge  was  the  first  to  speak. 

"What  you  say  has  certainly  given  me  a  shock,  doctor,  but 
I  cannot  deny  that  there  is  some  truth  in  it.  Still,  you 
know  there  is  something  beyond  mere  material  advantages." 

"I  do  not  deny  it,  sir,  and,  as  I  say,  we,  as  Britons  and 
Christians,  feel  that  we  are  doing  a  good  work.  Still,  we 
can  hardly  be  surprised  that  these  Chiots  naturally  view  it 
differently.  Their  Christianity  is,  like  that  of  all  Eastern 
Christians,  of  a  very  debased  form;  and  living  so  long  among 
the  Turks,  they  have  no  very  great  horror  of  Mohammedan- 
ism. You  know,  on  the  mainland,  tens  of  thousands  of  the 
Albanians  have  become  Mohammedans.  We  think  that  we 
are   justified  in  inflicting  what  one  cannot  but  see  is,  from 


294  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

the  material  point  of  view,  a  distinct  injury  to  these  people, 
because,  as  Christians,  we  feel  it  is  for  their  moral  advan- 
tage; but  then,  that  is  just  the  same  feeling  that  caused  the 
Spaniards  to  exterminate  the  natives  of  the  West  Indian 
Islands  who  declined  to  become  Christians." 

"Oh,  I  say,  doctor,  that  is  too  strong  altogether,"  Miller 
exclaimed  indignantly. 

"Well,  prove  it  by  argument, "  the  doctor  replied  calmly. 
"  I  am  not  saying  that  from  our  point  of  view  we  are  not  more 
than  justified.  I  am  simply  explaining  why  these  Chiots  do 
not  feel  any  extraordinary  gratitude  to  us.  We  are  benefit- 
ing them,  if  they  did  but  know  it.  We  are  saving  them,  body 
and  soul;  but  that  is  not  the  light  in  which  they  see  it." 

"You  are  right,  doctor,"  Mr.  Reveridge  said.  "  And  now 
you  put  it  before  us,  I  am  really  not  surprised  that  these  poor 
creatures  do  not  feel  any  very  lively  gratitude.  They  are  fond 
of  ease  and  comfort,  and  have  been  accustomed  to  it,  and  to 
them  the  utter  uncertainty  of  their  life  among  strangers  is  not 
unreasonably  more  terrible  than  the  prospects  of  an  easy  life 
as  a  favoured  slave  in  a  Turkish  household.  It  is  sad  that 
it  should  be  so;  but  it  is  human  nature.  Still,  the  considera- 
tion must  not  weigh  with  us  in  carrying  out  what  we  know  to 
be  a  good  work.  We  have  saved  in  all  more  than  three  thou- 
sand souls  from  Turkish  slavery,  and  can  only  trust  that  in  the 
long  run  most  of  them  will  recognize  the  inestimable  service 
we  have  rendered  them." 


RESCUING   THE    GARRISON    OF    ATHENS  295 

CHAPTER   XVII 

RESCUING    THE    GARRISON    OF    ATHENS 

1TELL  you  what  it  is,  Mr.  Beveridge,"  the  governor  said 
when  the  latter  went  up  to  call  as  usual  upon  his  arrival  at 
Corfu,  "  I  quite  begin  to  dread  the  appearance  of  that  smart 
schooner  of  yours;  during  the  last  five  weeks  you  have  added 
a  thousand  mouths  to  my  anxieties.  What  we  are  to  do  with 
all  these  poor  creatures  I  have  not  the  slightest  idea.  We 
can't  go  on  feeding  them  for  ever;  and  what  with  the  volun- 
tary fugitives  and  those  brought  over  to  us,  there  are  at  pres- 
ent some  forty  or  fifty  thousand  strangers  in  the  islands,  and 
of  these  something  like  half  are  absolutely  dependent  on  us 
for  the  means  of  living." 

•"It  is  a  very  difficult  problem,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said.  "Of 
course,  when  the  war  is  over  the  great  proportion  of  them  will 
return  to  their  homes  in  Greece ;  but  the  fugitives  from  the 
Turkish  islands  and  mainland  are  in  a  different  position. 
Doubtless,  when  peace  is  made,  there  will  be  some  arrange- 
ment by  which  those  families  which  have  men  among  them  can 
also  return  to  their  homes  without  being  molested;  but  those 
consisting  only  of  women  and  children  could  not  do  so.  Some 
of  the  women  and  girls  can  find  employment  in  Greek  fami- 
lies, and  I  suppose  the  rest  will  finally  become  absorbed  as 
servants  in  the  towns  on  the  Adriatic." 

"  I  see  nothing  else  for  it,  Mr.  Beveridge  ;  unless  you  choose 
to  continue  your  good  work,  and  transport  them  in  batches 
across  the  Atlantic.  I  believe  there  is  a  great  dearth  of  women 
in  Canada  and  the  United  States." 

"You  will  have  to  set  up  schools  and  teach  them  English 
first,  sir,"  Mr.  Beveridge  laughed,  "or  they  would  not  be  wel- 
comed there.  When  they  can  all  speak  our  language  I  will 
tli ink  over  your  suggestion." 

"Do  you  think  that  Greece  ever  will  be  free,  Mr.  Bever- 
idge?" 


296  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

"  I  think  so.  Certainly  I  think  so.  These  terrible  mas- 
sacres on  both  sides  seem  to  render  it  absolutely  impossible 
that  they  should  return  to  their  former  relations.  The  Turks 
have  not  yet  made  their  great  effort,  and  I  believe  that  when 
they  do  they  will  reconquer  Greece.  But  I  do  not  think  they 
will  hold  it.  The  hatred  between  the  races  is  now  so  bitter 
that  they  can  never  live  together  in  peace;  and  I  believe  that 
the  Greeks  will  continue  their  resistance  so  long  that  Europe 
at  last  will  come  to  their  assistance,  and  insist  upon  a  frontier 
line  being  drawn.  This  terrible  affair  of  Chios,  dreadful  as 
it  is,  will  tend  to  that.  The  Christian  feeling  of  Europe  will 
become  more  and  more  excited  until,  if  the  governments  hold 
back,  the  people  will  force  them  forward,  and  England  and 
France  at  least  will,  if  necessary,  intervene  by  force.  I  be- 
lieve that  they  would  do  so  now  were  it  not  for  jealousy  of 
Russia.  It  is  Russia  who  fomented  this  revolution  for  her 
own  purposes,  and  it  is  solely  the  fear  that  she  will  reap  the 
whole  benefit  of  their  action  that  causes  England  and  France 
to  look  on  this  struggle  with  folded  arms." 

"  I  fancy  you  are  right,  and  that  that  will  be  the  end  of 
it,"  the  governor  said.  "I  need  not  say  how  earnestly  I  wish 
the  time  would  come.  I  can  assure  you  I  have  a  very  anxious 
time  of  it.  What  with  providing  for  all  these  people,  what 
with  preventing  breaches  of  neutrality  by  the  Greeks,  and 
what  with  the  calumnies  and  complaints  that  the  Greeks  scatter 
broadcast  against  us,  I  can  assure  you  that  my  task  is  not  an 
enviable  one." 

"  I  can  quite  imagine  that.  The  Greeks  make  it  very  hard 
for  their  well-wishers  to  assist  them;  indeed,  if  they  were  bent 
upon  bringing  obloquy  upon  their  name  they  could  hardly 
act  otherwise  than  they  are  doing.  The  one  man  they  have 
hitherto  produced  who  goes  his»  way  regardless  of  intrigue 
and  faction,  fighting  bravely  for  the  country,  is  Constantine 
Kanaris,  who  has  destroyed  two  Turkish  ships  with  his  own 
hand.  A  hundred  of  such  men  as  he  is,  and  Greece  would 
have  achieved  her  independence  without  foreign  assistance; 


RESCUING   THE    GARRISON    OF   ATHENS  297 

and  yet,  even  in  his  own  ship,  he  is  unable  to  maintain  even 
a  shadow  of  what  we  should  consider  discipline.  He  himself 
acknowledged  as  much  to  me  at  Psara." 

"  I  hear  you  took  him  off  after  he  had  burned  the  Turkish 
war-vessel." 

"Yes;  we  were  lying  off  the  port  and  saw  it.  I  am  glad 
we  were  not  nearer,  for  it  was  a  terrible  business.  It  is  a 
barbarous  war  altogether." 

"Then  why  do  you  mix  yourself  up  in  it,  Mr.  Beveridge?  " 

"  My  mother  was  a  Greek,  and  I  have  always  lived  in  Greek 
thought  rather  than  in  English.  I  desire  not  only  the  inde- 
pendence but  the  regeneration  of  the  Greeks.  They  have 
lost  all  the  virtues  of  their  ancestors  save  their  intelligence; 
but  once  free  they  will,  I  hope  and  trust,  recover  their  lost 
virtues  and  become,  if  not  a  great  people — which  they  can 
hardly  do,  their  numbers  being  comparatively  so  few — at  least 
a  worthy  one." 

"  I  hope  they  may.  They  certainly  have  enthusiastic 
friends.  Only  a  week  or  two  since,  a  young  fellow  named 
Hastings,  a  lieutenant  of  our  navy,  came  out.  He  has  a  fort- 
une of  some  seven  or  eight  thousand  pounds,  which  he  in- 
tends to  devote  to  buying  and  fitting  out  a  ship  for  their 
service.  There  are  scores  of  English  and  French  officers 
kicking  their  heels  at  Corinth,  vainly  asking  for  employment. 
And  I  hear  they  are  organizing  a  corps,  composed  entirely  of 
foreign  officers,  who  will  fight  as  private  soldiers  without  pay, 
simply  for  the  purpose  of  endeavouring  to  shame  the  Greeks 
into  a  feeling  of  patriotism. 

"Where  are  you  thinking  of  sailing  now?  If  you  have  no 
fixed  plans,  I  should  advise  you  to  go  round  to  Athens.  They 
say  the  Turkish  garrison  is  at  the  last  extremity.  I  have  had 
a  message  from  the  consulate  there,  asking  me  to  send  a 
British  ship  of  war  round  to  insist  upon  the  conditions  of 
surrender  being  observed;  but  unfortunately  the  insane  rage 
for  retrenchment  at  home  has  so  diminished  the  strength  of  our 
fleet  that  we  haven't  a  single  ship  in  these  waters  at  a  time 


298  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

like  this.  I  hear  that  the  French  consul  has  also  sent  urgently 
asking  for  ships  of  war.  At  any  rate,  your  influence  might  do 
something." 

"I  fear  not,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said  gravely.  "However,  my 
men  and  guns  might  have  some  weight,  and  at  any  rate  I  will 
go  round  at  once  and  do  my  best.  If  possible,  I  am  even  more 
anxious  to  save  Turks  from  massacre  by  Greeks,  than  Greeks 
from  massacre  by  Turks." 

"I  can  understand  that,"  the  governor  said  cordially. 
"Well,  I  wish  you  every  good  fortune,  Mr.  Beveridge;  but  I 
say  honestly  that  I  do  not  wish  to  see  your  saucy  schooner 
again  unless  she  comes  in  with  empty  decks.  Give  them  a 
turn  at  Malta  next  time,  my  dear  sir,  and  I  shall  feel  really 
grateful  towards  you." 

Four  days  after  leaving  Corfu  the  schooner  dropped  anchor 
in  the  port  of  Athens.  Learning  from  the  first  boat  that  put 
off  to  them  that  the  capitulation  of  the  Turks  was  to  be  signed 
on  the  following  morning,  Mr.  Beveridge  determined  to  land 
at  once,  in  order  that  he  might  see  as  many  of  the  leading 
officials  as  possible,  and  urge  upon  them  the  necessity  of 
preventing  any  repetition  of  the  breaches  of  faith  which  had 
brought  such  disgrace  to  the  Greek  name. 

"I  shall  take  Zaimes  with  me,"  he  said  to  Martyn,  "and 
should  I  see  any  signs  of  an  intention  upon  the  part  of  the 
populace  to  commence  a  massacre  of  the  Turks  I  will  send 
him  off  instantly.  In  that  case,  Captain  Martyn,  you  will  at 
once  land  the  whole  of  the  crew  fully  armed,  with  the  excep- 
tion, say,  of  five  men,  and  march  them  to  the  British  consul- 
ate in  Athens.  You  know  where  it  is.  Take  a  Greek  flag 
with  you,  for  two  reasons;  in  the  first  place,  if  you  were  to 
go  without  it  the  Greeks  would  spread  the  report  that  the  crew 
of  an  English  ship  of  war  had  landed;  and  in  the  second 
place,  it  may  quieten  and  appease  the  mob  if  they  see  that 
we  are  in  the  service  of  Greece." 

"Very  well,  sir,  I  will  carry  out  your  instructions.  I  don't 
think  that  rascally  mob  will  venture  to  interfere  with  us." 


RESCUING    THE    GARRISON    OF    ATHENS  299 

"I  hope  not,  Martyn;  but  at  any  rate  we  must  risk  that. 
Any  other  message  I  may  have  to  send  off  to  you  I  shall  send 
by  an  ordinary  messenger;  but  if  you  are  wanted,  I  shall  trust 
no  one  but  Zaimes." 

Late  in  the  evening  a  Greek  came  off  with  a  letter.  All 
would,  Mr.  Beveridge  hoped,  be  well.  The  Turks  had  agreed 
to  surrender  their  arms,  and  the  Greeks  had  bound  themselves 
to  convey  them  to  Asia  Minor  in  neutral  ships.  By  the  terms 
of  capitulation  the  Turks  were  to  be  allowed  to  retain  one-half 
of  their  money  and  jewels,  and  one-half  of  their  movable 
property. 

"I  have  every  hope  that  the  treaty  will  be  respected,"  Mr. 
Beveridge  wrote.  "  I  am  happy  to  say  that  the  Bishop  of 
Athens,  who  is  a  man  of  high  character,  and  President  of  the 
Areopagus,  has  insisted  upon  all  the  civil  and  military  authori- 
ties taking  a  most  solemn  oath  to  observe  strictly  the  terms 
of  capitulation,  and  so  far  to  redeem  the  good  faith  of  the 
nation,  which  has  been  so  deeply  stained  by  the  violation  of 
so  many  previous  treaties." 

The  next  morning  the  Mussulmans  marched  out  from  the 
Acropolis.  Out  of  the  1150  remaining  only  180  were  men 
capable  of  bearing  arms,  so  stoutly  and  obstinately  had  they 
defended  the  place,  yielding  only  when  the  last  drop  of  water 
in  the  cisterns  was  exhausted.  They  were  housed  in  some 
extensive  buildings  in  the  town.  Three  days  passed  quietly. 
Two  ephors,  who  had  been  ordered  by  the  Greek  government 
to  hasten  the  embarkation  of  the  Turks,  took  no  steps  what- 
ever to  do  so.  On  the  morning  of  the  fourth  day,  Horace, 
who  had  been  twice  on  shore  to  see  his  father,  saw  a  boat 
rowing  off  to  the  ship.  He  turned  a  glass  upon  it  and  ex- 
claimed : 

"There  is  Zaimes  on  board  that  boat,  Captain  Martyn.  I 
am  sure  my  father  would  not  send  him  on  board  unless  there 
is  trouble  in  the  town." 

Martyn  did  not  wail  for  the  boat  to  arrive,  but  instantly 
mustered  and  armed  the  crew,  and  the  boats  were  in  the  water 


oOO  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

by  the  time  Zaimes  arrived  alongside.  He  handed  a  note  to 
Martyn;  it  contained  only  the  words: 

"Land  instantly,  they  are  murdering  the  Turks." 

With  a  hearty  execration  upon  the  Greeks,  Martyn  ordered 
the  men  to  take  their  places  in  the  boats,  and  gave  his  final 
orders  to  Tarleton,  who  was  to  remain  in  charge. 

"Get  all  the  guns  loaded  with  ball,  Mr.  Tarleton.  For 
aught  I  know  we  may  have  to  fight  our  way  down  to  the  beach. 
Fire  the  first  shot  over  their  heads.  If  that  does  not  frighten 
them,  plump  the  others  into  them." 

The  three  boats  pushed  off,  the  doctor  taking  his  place  by 
the  side  of  Horace,  who  was  in  command  of  one  of  them. 

"Have  you  got  your  instruments,  doctor?"  Horace  asked 
smiling. 

"I  have  got  these  instruments,"  Macfarlane  said,  tapping 
the  butts  of  a  heavy  pair  of  pistols.  "Just  for  once  I  am 
going  as  a  combatant.  I  thought  there  was  a  limit  to  every- 
thing, but  there  really  doesn't  seem  to  be  any  limit  to  the 
faithlessness  of  the  Greeks.  I  should  like  very  much  to  help 
to  give  them  a  little  lesson  as  to  the  sanctity  of  an  oath." 

The  .sailors  marched  in  a  compact  body  from  the  port  to 
the  town.  They  had  been  told  the  errand  upon  which  they 
had  come,  and  from  the  pace  at  which  they  marched,  and  the 
expression  of  angry  determination  on  their  faces,  it  was  evi- 
dent that  they  entered  thoroughly  into  the  business.  They 
were  met  at  the  entrance  to  the  town  by  Mr.  Beveridge. 

"It  is  of  no  use  going  to  the  British  consulate,"  he  said; 
"there  are  no  English  officials  there,  the  place  is  simply  in 
charge  of  a  Greek,  who  dare  not,  if  he  would,  move  in  the 
matter.  The  Turks  are  taking  refuge  in  the  French,  Austrian, 
and  Dutch  consulates.  It  is  more  than  doubtful  whether  the 
flags  will  be  respected.  You  had  better  place  say  eight  men 
at  each,  with  orders  to  defend  the  places  till  the  last  if  the 
mob  attacks  them;  while  with  the  rest  of  the  men  you  can 
endeavour  to  escort  the  fugitive  Turks  to  the  consulates. 
Don't  let  the  men  use  their  arms  till  the  last  extremity, 
Martyn." 


RESCUING    THE    GARRISON    OF    ATHENS  301 

"Very  well,  sir.     Where  will  you  be?  " 

"  I  will  go  to  the  French  consulate  and  aid  them  there  in 
pacifying  the  mob.  My  son  had  better  go  to  one  of  the 
others.  Harangue  them  from  the  windows,  Horace;  point 
out  to  them  that  they  are  disgracing  Greece  in  the  eyes  of  all 
Europe,  and  implore  them  not  to  bring  Austria  on  their  backs 
by  insulting  her  flag.  At  the  same  time  see  that  all  the  lower 
shutters  are  barred,  and  be  ready  to  sally  out  with  your  men 
to  bring  in  any  fugitives  who  may  approach." 

"  Mr.  Miller,  do  you  take  eight  men  to  the  Dutch  consul- 
ate," Martyn  said,  "and  follow  the  instructions  Mr.  Bever- 
idge  has  given  to  his  son." 

"Zaimes  shall  go  with  you,  Mr.  Miller." 

"Thank  you,  Mr.  Beveridge;  if  he  will  do  the  haranguing 
I  will  look  after  the  fighting  if  there  is  any  to  be  done." 

The  three  parties,  each  of  eight  men,  at  once  started  for 
the  consulates.  Martyn  waited  till  they  had  gone,  and  then 
turned  to  the  remainder.  "  Boatswain,  you  take  ten  men  and 
go  one  way,  I  will  go  another  way  with  the  rest.  You  heard 
Mr.  Beveridge's  instructions,  that  the  men  were  not  to  use 
their  arms  unless  absolutely  attacked.  At  the  same  time,  if 
you  come  upon  any  of  the  Greeks  engaged  in  murdering 
women  and  children  you  will  remember  there  are  no  orders 
against  your  using  your  hands,  and  that  there  are  windows  as 
well  as  doors  by  which  a  Greek  can  be  made  to  leave  a  house." 

"Ay,  ay,  sir!  "  Tom  Burdett  replied  with  a  grin;  "we  will 
be  as  gentle  with  them  as  possible." 

Martyn  had  provided  several  small  Greek  flags  which  had 
been  fastened  to  boat-hooks,  and  each  party,  taking  one  of 
these,  proceeded  on  its  way.  They  had  gone  but  a  little  dis- 
tance when  shrieks  and  cries  were  heard,  and,  bursting  into 
the  houses  from  which  they  proceeded,  the  sailors  came  upon 
Greeks  engaged  in  the  diabolical  work  of  torturing  women 
and  children.  With  a  cheer  they  fell  upon  them,  striking 
right  and  left  with  their  lists,  and  levelling  the  astonished 
Greeks  to  the  ground.     Then  the  Turks  were  placed  safely  in 


302  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

their  midst,  and  with  a  few  hearty  kicks  at  the  prostrate  ruf- 
fians they  marched  out.  The  scene  was  repeated  again  and 
again;  the  punishment  inflicted  upon  the  Greeks  being  more 
and  more  severe  each  time. 

When  some  twenty  fugitives  had  been  collected  they  were 
marched  through  a  yelling  rabble  to  one  or  other  of  the  con- 
sulates, to  which  a  large  number  of  fugitives  had  made  their 
way  when  the  massacre  began.  Several  times  the  leaders  of 
both  bands  had  to  call  upon  their  men  to  present  arms,  the 
mob  falling  back  and  flying  the  moment  they  did  so.  After 
a  time  the  two  bands  joined,  Martyn  considering  it  imprudent 
to  venture  out  among  the  enraged  populace  in  smaller  force. 
The  aspect  of  the  crowd  became  more  and  more  threatening, 
but  it  still  confined  itself  to  execrations  and  curses,  being 
overawed  by  the  determined  attitude  of  the  men  with  their 
muskets,  cutlasses,  and  pistols,  and  with  the  apparent  fact  that 
the  sailors  were  only  prevented  from  using  their  arms  by  the 
exertions  of  the  two  officers,  for  the  doctor  kept  close  by 
Martyn's  side.  At  two  o'clock  the  boom  of  a  cannon  was 
heard  from  the  port;  again  and  again  it  sounded  at  regular 
intervals. 

"That  is  a  ship  of  war  saluting,"  Martyn  said. 

The  crowd  fell  away  rapidly,  many  of  them  hurrying  down 
to  the  port,  and  Martyn,  taking  advantage  of  it,  was  able  to 
bring  in  a  good  many  more  fugitives  to  the  consulates,  the 
sailors  from  within  rushing  out  when  they  approached,  and 
clearing  the  way  through  the  crowd  with  the  vigorous  use  of 
their  elbows  and  sometimes  of  their  fists. 

"We  shall  have  help  up  soon,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said,  the  first 
time  Martyn  brought  in  a  party  of  fugitives  after  the  guns 
fired. 

An  hour  later  a  strong  party  of  French  sailors  and  marines 
with  loaded  muskets  and  fixed  bayonets  marched  up  to  the 
French  consulate  from  two  French  vessels,  a  corvette  and  a 
schooner,  which  had  come  from  Syra  in  response  to  the  con- 
sul's earnest  appeals  for  assistance.     They  placed  in  their 


RESCUING   THE   GARRISON   OF   ATHENS  303 

midst  three  hundred  and  twenty-five  Turkish  fugitives  who 
had  found  refuge  there,  escorted  them  down  to  the  port,  and 
placed  them  on  board  their  ships.  On  the  way  they  were  sur- 
rounded by  a  menacing  crowd  of  Greek  soldiers  and  by  a  great 
mob,  yelling,  shouting,  and  brandishing  their  arms;  but  their 
valour  went  no  further,  and  the  fugitives  were  taken  off  in 
safety.  The  sailors  of  the  Misericordia  were  now  divided 
between  the  Austrian  and  Dutch  consulates,  and  their  appear- 
ance at  the  windows  with  loaded  muskets  intimidated  the  mob 
from  making  an  attack.  During  the  night  the  bishop  and 
some  of  the  better  class  exerted  themselves  to  the  utmost  in 
calming  the  passions  of  the  mob;  and  they  themselves  in  the 
morning  accompanied  the  crew  of  the  Misericordia,  who, 
guarding  the  fugitives,  were  allowed  to  proceed  down  to  the 
port  and  embark  on  board  the  schooner  without  molestation 
from  the  people.  Some  seven  hundred  and  fifty  persons  were 
saved  by  the  French  and  the  crew  of  the  schooner.  Four 
hundred  were  massacred  in  cold  blood  by  the  Greeks. 

The  French  vessels  had  sailed  away  during  the  night,  and 
the  question  arose  what  was  to  be  done  with  the  rescued 
Turks.  Of  these  there  were  some  forty  soldiers,  ten  or  twelve 
Turks  of  superior  rank,  military  and  civil  officials;  the  rest 
were  women  and  children.  Two  or  three  of  the  Turks  spoke 
Italian,  and  four  or  five  of  them  Greek.  Mr.  Beveridge  held 
a  consultation  with  these,  and  it  was  finally  agreed  that  they 
should  be  landed  at  the  Isle  of  Tenedos  close  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Dardanelles,  as  from  thence  they  would  have  no  difficulty 
in  making  their  way  to  Constantinople. 

"  If  there  are  no  ships  of  war  in  the  port  we  will  hoist  the 
white  flag  and  sail  straight  in;  but  if  there  are,  we  must  land 
you  in  the  boats  somewhere  on  the  island.  We  have  been  in 
action  with  your  ships  of  war  and  would  at  once  be  recog- 
nized, and  the  white  (lag  would  not  be  respected." 

"We  owe  you  our  lives,  sir,  and  the  lives  of  all  these 
women  and  children,"  a  bimbashi  or  major  of  the  Turkish 
garrison,   a  fine  soldierly-looking  man,  said  earnestly;  "for 


304  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

had  it  not  been  for  you  and  your  brave  crew  even  the  flags  of 
the  consulates  would  not  have  sufficed  to  protect  us.  Assuredly 
my  countrymen  would  never  fire  at  you  when  engaged  in  such 
a  work  of  mercy." 

"  They  might  not  in  cold  blood, "  Mr.  Beveridge  said;  "  but 
we  have  just  been  saving  Chiot  prisoners  as  cruelly  treated, 
and  for  every  Turk  who  has  been  massacred  in  Athens,  well- 
nigh  a  hundred  Chiots  have  been  murdered.  I  do  not  defend 
them  for  breaking  their  pledged  faith  to  you,  but  one  cannot 
be  surprised  at  their  savage  thirst  for  vengeance." 

Martyn  had  got  up  the  anchor  and  set  sail  on  the  schooner 
directly  the  fugitives  were  on  board,  and  as  soon  as  he  learned 
that  Tenedos  was  their  destination  her  course  was  laid  north. 
Then  came  the  work,  to  which  they  were  now  becoming 
accustomed,  of  stowing  away  the  unfortunate  passengers.  The 
screened  partition  was  allotted  to  the  women  and  children  of 
the  officers  and  officials,  most  of  whose  husbands  had  fallen 
during  the  siege,  and  the  rest  of  the  women  and  children 
were  stowed  down  on  the  main-deck,  while  the  male  passen- 
gers stayed  on  deck,  where  the  women  remained  for  the  most 
part  during  the  day.  Those  who  had  been  rescued  from  the 
hands  of  the  Greeks  had  been  plundered  of  everything;  but 
those  who  had  at  the  first  alarm  fled  to  the  consulates  had 
carried  with  them  jewels  and  money.  The  women  of  the 
upper  class  were  all  closely  veiled,  but  the  rest  made  but  little 
attempt  to  conceal  their  faces,  and  all  evinced  the  deepest 
gratitude  to  the  crew  of  the  schooner;  murmuring  their  thanks 
whenever  an  officer  or  sailor  passed  near  them,  and  trying  to 
seize  their  hands  and  press  them  to  their  foreheads. 

The  fugitives  of  the  upper  class,  both  men  and  women, 
were  more  restrained,  but  there  was  no  mistaking  the  expres- 
sion with  which  their  eyes  followed  their  protectors.  Many 
of  the  women  and  children  were  worn  out  with  the  sufferings 
they  had  sustained  during  the  last  days  of  the  siege,  and  some 
of  the  soldiers  were  so  weak  as  to  be  scarce  able  to  stand. 
The  doctor  attended  to  many  of  the  children,  while  the  Greeks 


RESCUING  THE    GARRISON   OF   ATHENS  305 

and  the  ship's  cook  were  kept  busy  all  day  in  preparing 
nourishing  soups.  The  next  day  they  were  off  Tenedos. 
No  Turkish  ship  of  war  was  lying  near  the  town.  A  boat  was 
lowered,  and  Miller,  accompanied  by  Horace  as  interpreter, 
took  his  place  in  her  with  one  of  the  Turkish  officers.  A  white 
flag  was  hoisted  in  her  stern,  and  six  men  rowed  her  ashore. 

Their  movements  had  been  watched,  and  a  body  of  Turkish 
soldiers  were  drawn  up  at  the  landing-place  with  several 
officials.  The  Turkish  officer  mounted  the  steps  and  explained 
to  the  governor  of  the  island,  who  was  among  those  at  the 
landing-stage,  the  purpose  for  which  the  Misericordia  had 
arrived  at  the  port.  There  was  a  rapid  conversation  as  the 
officer,  frequently  interrupted  by  exclamations  of  indigna- 
tion, and  questions  from  the  Turks,  narrated  what  had  taken 
place.  Then  the  governor  and  his  officers  ran  forward,  seized 
Miller  and  Horace  by  the  hand,  patted  them  on  the  shoulder 
with  the  liveliest  demonstrations  of  gratitude  and  friendship. 
The  Turk  who  had  come  ashore  with  them  translated  to  Hor- 
ace, in  Greek,  the  governor's  earnest  request  that  the  owner 
of  the  ship  and  his  officers  would  come  ashore  to  visit  him. 

"  The  governor  says  that  he  himself  would  at  once  come  off 
to  visit  the  ship  and  return  his  thanks,  but  that,  as  she  is  flying 
the  Greek  flag,  he  cannot  do  so,  much  as  he  desires  it;  but 
that  if  the  flag  were  lowered,  and  a  white  flag  substituted,  he 
would  come  off  instantly.  He  has  heard  of  the  fight  between 
the  Greek  ship  with  an  English  crew  and  the  boats  of  the 
Turkish  fleet,  and  of  the  many  craft  she  has  taken  and  de- 
stroyed, always  sparing  the  crews  and  sending  them  ashore, 
and  he  has  great  esteem  for  so  brave  an  enemy;  now  he  cannot 
view  them  but  as  friends  after  their  noble  rescue  of  so  many 
of  his  countrymen  and  women  and  children." 

Horace  in  reply  said  that  he  would  give  the  governor's 
message  to  his  father,  and  that  the  fugitives  should  at  once  be 
landed. 

"  Do  you  think  that  he  really  meant  that  he  would  come  on 
board  if  we  hoisted  the  white  flag,  Horace?" 


306  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

"  I  think  so,  father.  He  and  the  officers  with  him  certainly 
seemed  thoroughly  in  earnest.  What  do  you  think,  Martyn? 
There  can  be  no  objection  to  our  lowering  the  Greek  flag,  I 
should  think,  while  acting  as  a  neutral." 

"I  should  think  not,"  Martyn  said,  "and  I  should  not  care 
a  snap  of  the  fingers  if  there  was.  The  Greek  flag  is  all  well 
enough,  Mr.  Beveridge,  when  we  see  an  armed  Turk  of  supe- 
rior size  in  sight,  but  at  other  times  I  don't  feel  proud  of  it." 

"We  will  lower  it  down  then,  Martyn." 

The  Greek  flag  was  lowered  from  the  peak  and  a  white  one 
run  up.  Then  the  work  of  debarkation  commenced,  the  Turks 
insisting  upon  shaking  hands  with  Mr.  Beveridge  and  the 
officers,  thanking  them  in  the  most  fervent  way,  and  calling 
down  the  blessing  of  Allah  upon  them;  while  the  women, 
many  of  them  weeping,  threw  themselves  on  their  knees  and 
poured  out  their  thanks,  some  of  them  holding  up  their  infants 
to  gaze  on  the  faces  of  those  to  whom  they  owed  their  lives. 
The  sailors  came  in  for  their  share  of  thanks,  and  were  quite 
embarrassed  by  the  warmth  with  which  they  were  greeted.  Just 
as  the  first  batch  left  the  ship,  a  large  boat  flying  the  Turkish 
flag  was  seen  putting  out  from  the  shore,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
the  governor  with  seven  or  eight  civil  and  military  officials 
came  on  board. 

They  brought  with  them  a  merchant  who  spoke  English  to 
act  as  interpreter.  Martyn  drew  up  the  whole  of  the  crew 
who  were  not  engaged  in  boat  service  as  a  guard  of  honour  to 
receive  them,  while  he,  with  Mr.  Beveridge,  met  the  governor 
as  he  mounted  the  gangway.  The  governor,  who  was  a  tall 
and  dignified  Turk,  expressed  to  them  his  warmest  thanks  in 
the  name  of  the  Sultan  for  the  rescue  of  so  many  of  his  sub- 
jects from  the  fury  of  the  populace  of  Athens.  Mr.  Beveridge, 
through  the  interpreter,  explained  to  the  pasha  that,  although 
an  Englishman  he  had  Greek  blood  in  his  veins,  and  had 
therefore  joined  them  in  their  attempt  to  achieve  indepen- 
dence, and  was  prepared  to  fight  on  their  side  but  that,  as  an 
Englishman,  he  revolted  against  the  barbarity  with  which  the 


I  III     GOVERNOR    COMES    ON    BOARD 


RESCUING   THE    GARRISON"    OF   ATHENS  307 

war  was  carried  on  by  both  combatants;  that  his  vessel  was 
named  the  Misericordia,  and  that  while  he  had  saved  a  great 
number  of  Christian  fugitives  on  the  one  side,  he  was  equally 
ready  and  pleased  at  being  able  to  render  the  same  service  to 
Mussulman  fugitives  on  the  other  side. 

"Your  errand  is  a  noble  and  merciful  one,"  the  Turk  said, 
"  and  must  have  the  approval  of  Allah  as  well  as  of  the  God 
of  the  Christians.  We  have  heard  of  your  terrible  vessel,  how 
she  destroyed  a  frigate  off  Cyprus,  beat  off  the  boats  of  our 
fleet  at  Chios,  and  played  havoc  among  the  shipping  from 
Smyrna.  We  knew  her  when  we  saw  her,  for  we  had  heard  of 
her  white  sails  and  tall  masts;  but  we  had  heard  too  that  no 
prisoner  was  injured  by  you.  I  never  thought  to  set  foot  on 
the  deck  of  the  ship  that  had  become  the  dread  of  the  traders 
of  Smyrna  and  other  ports,  but  I  am  glad  to  do  so  since  those 
who  sail  her,  although  our  enemies  in  battle,  have  proved 
themselves  indeed  our  friends  in  the  time  of  distress." 

When  this  had  been  translated,  Mr.  Beveridge  invited  the 
governor  and  his  companions  into  the  cabin,  where  coffee  and 
chibouks  were  served;  then  they  were  conducted  round  the 
ship.  The  governor  conversed  for  some  little  time  with  two 
or  three  of  the  principal  Turks  from  Athens,  and  learned  the 
full  details  of  the  surrender  and  the  subsequent  events  as  he 
watched  the  debarkation  of  the  fugitives;  and  then,  after 
obtaining  a  promise  from  Mr.  Beveridge  that  he  and  his  offi- 
cers would  come  on  shore  at  sunset  to  dine  with  him,  he 
entered  his  boat  and  was  rowed  back. 

At  -unset  Mr.  Beveridge  and  all  the  officers,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  Tarleton,  who  remained  in  charge  of  the  ship,  went 
ashore.  They  were  received  at  the  landing-place  by  a  guard 
of  honour  of  Turkish  soldiers  in  charge  of  one  of  the  princi- 
pal officers  of  the  governor,  and  were  conducted  to  his  house 
through  a  crowd  of  people  cheering  and  shouting. 

The  governor  received  them  at  his  door.  The  dinner  was 
served  in  Turkish  fashion,  all  sitting  on  cushions  round  a 
table  raised  about  a  foot  from  the  floor.     A  band  of  music 


308  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

played  without,  and  a  great  number  of  dishes,  of  most  of 
which  Horace  could  only  guess  at  the  ingredients,  were  served; 
and  after  the  meal,  which  was  of  great  length,  was  concluded, 
slaves  brought  round  ewers  of  water,  in  which  all  dipped  their 
fingers,  wiping  them  on  embroidered  towels.  A  variety  of 
sweetmeats  were  then  handed  round,  followed  by  coffee. 
Three  or  four  interpreters  had  stood  behind  the  guests,  who 
were  all  placed  between  Turks,  and  thus  conversation  was 
rendered  possible.  At  ten  o'clock  they  took  their  leave  with 
many  cordial  expressions  on  both  sides,  and  were  again 
escorted  by  a  party  of  soldiers  to  their  boats. 

"There  is  no  gainsaying,"  Macfarlane  said  as  they  rowed 
off,  "  that  there  seems  to  be  a  good  deal  livelier  feeling  of 
gratitude  among  the  Turks  than  there  is  among  the  Greeks. 
We  have  come  all  the  way  out  from  England  to  fight  for  the 
Greeks;  we  have  sunk  a  Turkish  ship,  beaten  off  their  boats 
with  very  heavy  loss,  and  rescued  nearly  three  thousand 
women  and  children  from  their  hands,  and  yet  there  isn't  a 
Greek  official  who  has  said  as  much  as  thank  you.  They  seem 
to  consider  that  it  is  quite  sufficient  reward  for  us  to  have 
been  of  service  to  so  great  a  people  as  they  are.  Upon  the 
other  hand,  here  are  these  Turks,  though  we  have  done  them 
a  great  deal  of  damage,  putting  aside  all  enmity  and  treating 
us  like  gentlemen  because  we  have  saved  a  ship-load  of  their 
people.     He  was  a  very  fine  old  heathen  that  governor." 

"The  Turks,  too,  were  a"  deal  more  grateful  than  any  of 
the  Greeks  have  been,  except  that  batch  from  Cyprus,"  Hor- 
ace said. 

"They  were  in  better  heart  for  being  thankful,  Horace," 
Mr.  Beveridge  replied.  "  We  have  taken  them  back  to  their 
native  land,  and  they  will  soon  rejoin  their  friends  and  fami- 
lies; whereas  the  Chiots  were  going  into  exile  and  had  lost 
everything  that  was  dear  to  them,  and  the  lot  before  them 
was,  as  the  doctor  pointed  out,  little  if  anything  better  than 
that  we  had  saved  them  from.  Still,  I  will  do  them  the  justice 
to  say  that  the  Turks  were  really  grateful  to  us;  and  though 


RESCUING    THE    GARRISON    OF   ATHENS  309 

we  are  not  working  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  gratitude,  it 
is  pleasant  t©  see  that  people  do  feel  that  one  has  done  some- 
thing for  them." 

"  I  suppose  you  won't  get  up  sail  until  morning,  Martyn?  " 
Mr.  Beveridge  said  as  they  went  down  into  the  cabin. 

"Yes,  sir,  if  you  have  no  objections  I  shall  get  up  the  anchor 
as  soon  as  we  are  on  board.  You  see  we  are  not  many  miles 
from  the  mouth  of  the  Dardanelles,  and  with  a  good  glass  they 
could  make  out  our  colours  from  the  mainland;  and  if  word 
were  sent  to  their  admiral  that  a  Greek  craft  is  at  anchor  here, 
he  might  send  two  or  three  ships  out  to  capture  us.  I  don't 
give  the  Turks  credit  for  such  enterprise,  but  it  is  just  as  well 
not  to  run  any  risk.  What  is  to  be  our  course  next,  Mr.  Bev- 
eridge ?  " 

"  There  is  likely  to  be  a  regular  battle  in  a  short  time  be- 
tween the  Greek  army  and  the  Turks.  Indeed  the  Greeks 
will  have  to  fight  if  they  really  mean  to  gain  their  indepen- 
dence. Dramali  Pasha  has  some  twenty  thousand  men  col- 
lected on  the  banks  of  the  Spercheus.  Of  these  they  say  eight 
thousand  are  cavalry  drawn  from  the  Mussulman  clans  of 
Macedonia  and  Thrace,  and  he  may  move  forward  any  day  to 
reconquer  the  Morea  and  relieve  Nauplia.  If  he  is  suffered 
to  do  this  there  is  virtually  an  end  of  the  war.  I  have  not  a 
shadow  of  faith  in  any  of  the  Greek  leaders,  or  in  the  Areopa- 
gus, but  I  still  do  believe  in  the  vast  bulk  of  the  people.  The 
Morea  consists  almost  wholly  of  hilly  and  broken  country,  just 
the  ground  where  an  armed  peasantry,  knowing  every  pass 
and  place  of  advantage,  ought  to  be  able  to  render  the  passage 
of  a  regular  army  with  their  wagons  and  baggage  well-nigh 
impossible. 

"  In  such  a  country  the  Turkish  cavalry  would  be  of  little 
use,  and  there  are  only  the  infantry  to  cope  with.  The 
artillery  would  probably  have  to  be  left  behind  altogether.  If 
ever  an  effort  is  to  be  made  by  the  Greeks  it  must  be  made 
now.  I  propose  therefore,  Martyn,  to  sail  down  to  Nauplia 
and  to  land  there.     The  Turks,  of  course,  still  command  the 


310  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

harbour  with  their  guns,  but  the  Greek  vessels  land  supplies 
and  ammunition  for  the  besiegers,  so  there  can  be.no  difficulty 
about  that.  We  have  still  a  good  many  thousand  muskets  in 
the  hold,  and  ammunition  for  them.  I  shall  see  what  spirit 
prevails  among  the  peasantry,  shall  issue  arms  to  all  who  need 
them,  and  help  with  money  if  required.  The  peasantry  will 
not  want  it,  but  the  patriotism  of  their  primates  and  captains 
may  be  a  good  deal  strengthened  by  a  little  judicious  expen- 
diture of  money.  The  Morea  is  the  key  of  the  whole  posi- 
tion, and  the  present  will  be  the  critical  moment  of  the 
revolution.  If  the  Turks  succeed,  Greece  is  at  their  feet;  if 
the  Turkish  army  is  defeated,  Greece  may  conquer.  Now, 
therefore,  is  the  time  for  me  to  do  my  utmost  to  aid  them." 

"Very  well,  sir;  then  I  will  lay  her  course  to-morrow  morn- 
ing for  the  south-eastern  point  of  Eubcea." 

On  the  voyage  down  Mr.  Beveridge  discussed  with  the 
others  the  course  that  he  intended  to  take.  He  had  quite 
determined  himself  to  leave  the  coast  and  go  into  the  inte- 
rior, where,  if  the  Turkish  army  was  to  be  checked,  the 
decisive  battle  must  be  fought.  It  was  decided  that  Horace 
and  the  two  Greeks  should  accompany  him.  The  question 
most  at  issue  was  whether  he  should  take  with  him  any  por- 
tion of  the  crew  of  the  schooner;  he  himself  was  somewhat 
averse  to  this. 

"I  need  hardly  say,  Martyn,  that  I  have  no  intention  what- 
ever of  mixing  myself  up  in  any  fighting  that  may  take  place. 
I  go  simply  to  rouse  the  enthusiasm  as  much  as  possible  of 
the  peasantry,  and  to  get  the  small  local  leaders  to  stir.  If  I 
can  do  nothing  I  shall  simply  come  back  to  the  schooner 
again.  If  the  Greeks  dispute  the  passage  of  the  Turks  I 
shall,  if  I  can,  take  up  my  position  where  I  can  see  what  takes 
place,  and  if  the  Greeks  are  beaten,  retire  across  the  hills. 
What  good  then  would  it  be  for  me  to  take  any  of  the  sailors 
with  me?  You  may  want  them  all  on  board,  for  it  is  possible, 
indeed  it  is  probable,  that  the  Turkish  fleet  will  come  round 
to  Nauplia  with  supplies  for  the  Turkish  army  when  it  arrives 
there."  . 


RESCUING    THE    GARRISON    OF   ATHENS  311 

"Well,  sir,  I  shouldn't  require  the  whole  crew  to  get  up  sail 
and  make  off  if  I  see  them  coming,  and  I  do  think  that  it 
would  be  very  much  better  for  you  to  have  some  men  with 
you.  In  the  first  place,  your  having  a  guard  of  that  sort  would 
add  to  your  importance  in  the  eyes  of  the  Greeks,  and  give 
more  weight  to  your  counsels.  In  the  second  place,  if  you  are 
going  to  take  arms  and  money  on  shore  you  will  certainly 
require  a  guard  for  them,  or  run  the  risk  of  getting  your  throat 
cut.  And  lastly,  if  there  should  be  a  fight,  and  the  Greeks  get 
beaten,  if  you  have  fifteen  or  twenty  men  with  you  your  chance 
of  getting  off  safely  would  be  very  largely  increased,  for  they 
could  beat  off  any  small  party  of  horsemen  that  happened  to 
overtake  you.      What  do  you  think,  Horace?" 

"I  certainly  think  so  too.  After  what  we  have  seen  of  the 
Greeks,  father,  I  do  think  it  would  be  better  in  every  way  to 
have  a  party  of  sailors  with  us.  If  it  were  known  that  you 
were  going  about  the  hills  with  a  considerable  sum  of  money 
you  might  be  safe  enough  among  the  peasants,  but  I  should 
say  there  were  any  number  of  these  miserable  primates  and 
captains  who  would  think  nothing  of  cutting  our  throats  to 
get  it." 

Mr.  Beveridge  gave  way  at  once,  and  it  was  arranged  that 
a  party  of  fifteen  men,  under  the  command  of  Miller,  should 
land  from  the  schooner  and  accompany  him. 

"Don't  you  think,  Mr.  Beveridge,"  Macfarlane  said,  "that 
it  would  be  as  well  for  you  to  take  your  medical  attendant 
with  you  ?  " 

Mr.  Beveridge  smiled.  "I  have  scarcely  regarded  you 
hitherto,  doctor,  in  the  light  of  my  medical  attendant,  but  as 
the  attendant  of  the  ship's  company,  and  I  don't  think  that 
Horace  or  I,  or  any  of  the  landing  party,  are  likely  to  take 
any  fever  among  the  hills  of  the  Morea." 

"I  hope  not,  sir,  but  you  see  there  may  be  some  prelimi- 
nary skirmishes  before  the  regular  battle  you  expect  will  take 
place,  and  I  don't  suppose  the  Greeks  will  have  any  surgeons 
accustomed    to    gunshot  wounds  or  capable  of    amputations 


312  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

among  them,  and  therefore,  you  see,  I  might  be  of  some 
service." 

"In  addition  to  which,  doctor,"  Martyn  laughed,  "you 
think  you  would  like  a  ramble  on  shore  a  bit." 

"Well,  what  do  you  think,  Martyn?"  Mr.  Beveridge  said; 
"it  is  for  you  to  decide.  The  doctor  may  be,  as  he  says, 
useful  on  shore;  but  then  again  his  services  may  be  required 
on  board." 

"We  are  not  likely  to  do  any  fighting,  sir,  and  if  he  will 
mix  up  a  gallon  or  two  of  jalap,  and  such  other  medicines  as 
he  thinks  might  be  useful  for  ordinary  ailments  on  board,  I 
daresay  Tarleton  will  see  to  their  being  administered  as  re- 
quired." 

"Oh,  yes,  I  will  see  to  that,"  Tarleton  said.  "Make  them 
as  nasty  as  you  can,  doctor,  so  that  I  sha'n't  have  any  unnec- 
essary applications  for  them." 

And  so  it  was  settled  that  Dr.  Macfarlane  should  form  one 
of  the  landing  party. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

A  TURKISH    DEFEAT 

THE  town  of  Nauplia  stood  on  a  projecting  point  at  the 
head  of  the  gulf  which  was  in  old  times  known  as  the 
Gulf  of  Argos,  but  was  now  more  generally  known  as  the 
Gulf  of  Nauplia,  that  town  being  the  most  important  port  in 
Greece,  carrying  on  a  large  trade  in  sponges,  silk,  oil,  wax, 
wines,  and  acorns.  It  was  the  seat  of  government  of  the 
Venetians  at  the  time  they  were  masters  of  the  Morea,  and 
had  been  very  strongly  fortified  by  them.  The  Acropolis,  or 
citadel,  stood  on  a  craggy  hill  where  the  point  on  which  the 
town  stood  joined  the  mainland.  The  Venetians  had  taken 
the  greatest  pain!  in  fortifying  this  rock,  which  was  well-nigh 


A    TURKISH    DEFEAT  313 

impregnable,  and  was  considered  the  strongest  position  in  the 
Morea. 

The  Turks  had  long  been  besieged  here.  Negotiations  had 
at  one  time  been  carried  on  with  a  view  to  its  surrender,  and 
had  the  Greeks  acted  in  good  faith  they  could  have  gained 
possession  of  the  place  before  Dramali  advanced  to  its  relief. 
Six  weeks  before,  the  Turks,  having  entirely  consumed  their 
provisions,  signed  the  capitulation.  The  Turks  had  little 
faith  in  the  Greeks  observing  its  conditions,  but  were  of 
opinion  that  it  would  be  better  to  be  massacred  at  once  than  to 
slowly  die  of  hunger.  By  the  terms  of  capitulation  the  Turks 
were  to  deliver  up  their  arms  and  two-thirds  of  their  movable 
property,  while  the  Greeks  were  to  allow  them  to  hire  neutral 
vessels  to  transport  them  to  Asia  Minor;  and  bound  them- 
selves to  supply  them  with  provisions  until  the  vessels  arrived 
to  take  them  away. 

The  Greek  government  at  once  sent  some  of  its  members  to 
Nauplia  to  register  the  property  of  the  Turks.  These  imme- 
diately pursued  the  usual  course  of  endeavouring  to  enrich 
themselves  by  secretly  purchasing  the  property  of  the  Turks, 
and  by  selling  them  provisions.  The  Greek  ministers  took 
no  steps  to  charter  neutral  vessels,  professing  that  they  were 
unable  to  raise  money  for  the  purpose,  but  really  delaying  to 
enable  their  secretaries  at  Nauplia  to  make  larger  gains  by 
bargaining  with  the  wealthy  Turks  there.  The  Turks  having 
now  got  provisions  enough  to  enable  them  to  hold  on,  were 
in  no  great  hurry  to  conclude  the  surrender,  as  they  knew  that 
Dramali  was  advancing.  Such  was  the  state  of  things  when 
the  schooner  arrived  in  the  Gulf  of  Argos,  and  landed  the 
party  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  gulf. 

They  at  once  proceeded  into  the  interior,  stopping  at  every 
village.  At  each  place  they  came  to  messengers  were  sent  out 
to  summon  the  peasantry  of  the  neighbourhood  to  come  in. 
When  they  had  assembled  Mr.  Beveridge  harangued  them, 
pointing  out  that  now  or  never  was  the  time  to  win  their 
independence;  that  if  the  Turkish  invasion  were  rolled  back 


ol4  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

now  they  might  hope  that  the  enemy  would  see  that  such  a 
country  could  not  be  conquered  when  the  inhabitants  were 
determined  to  be  free,  for  that  if  they  thoroughly  established 
their  hold  of  it,  and  occupied  all  the  fortresses,  there  would 
be  no  chance  of  their  ever  again  shaking  off  the  yoke.  He 
said  that  he  himself,  an  Englishman  and  a  stranger,  had  come 
to  aid  them  as  far  as  possible,  and  that  all  unprovided  with 
arms,  or  lacking  ammunition,  would  receive  them  on  going 
down  to  the  ship  anchored  in  the  bay. 

At  each  place,  previous  to  addressing  the  assembly,  he  had 
distributed  money  among  the  local  leaders  and  priests.  These 
seconded  his  harangues,  and  numbers  of  the  men  went  down 
to  the  coast  and  obtained  guns  and  ammunition. 

While  Mr.  Beveridge  was  travelling  over  the  country  the 
army  of  Dramali  was  advancing  unopposed.  The  troops  which 
the  central  government  had  placed  to  defend  the  passes  fled 
without  firing  a  shot,  and  Dramali  occupied  Corinth  without 
resistance.  The  Acropolis  there  was  impregnable,  but  the 
commander,  a  priest  named  Achilles  Theodorides,  in  spite  of 
his  Christian  name  and  the  fact  that  the  citadel  was  amply  sup- 
plied with  provisions,  murdered  the  Turkish  prisoners  in  his 
hands,  and  fled  with  the  garrison  as  soon  as  Dramali  approached 
the  place. 

The  ease  with  which  the  Turkish  general  had  marched 
through  Eastern  Greece  and  possessed  himself  of  Corinth, 
raised  his  confidence  to  the  highest  point.  It  had  been 
arranged  that  the  Turkish  fleet  should  meet  him  at  Nauplia, 
and  he  therefore  determined  to  march  with  his  whole  army 
there,  obtain  possession  of  the  stores  brought  by  the  fleet, 
relieve  the  town,  and  then  proceed  to  the  conquest  of  the 
Morea.  Two  of  his  officers  alone  disagreed  with  him. 
Yussuf  Pasha  and  Ali  Pasha,  the  latter  of  whom  was  a  large 
land-owner  of  Argos,  and  both  of  whom  knew  the  country  well, 
proposed  that  Corinth  should  be  made  the  head-quarters  of 
the  army,  and  great  magazines  be  formed  there;  that  the 
army  should  be  divided  into  two  divisions,  one  of  which, 


A   TURKISH    DEFEAT  315 

under  Dramali,  should  march  to  Nauplia  and  then  recover 
Tripolitza,  while  the  other  should  march  along  the  Gulf  of 
Corinth  to  Patras,  recovering  possession  of  the  fertile  province 
of  Achaia.  Dramali,  however,  confident  in  his  power  to  over- 
come any  opposition  that  might  be  made,  determined  to  carry 
out  his  own  plan,  and  started  with  his  own  army  for  Nauplia. 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  Dramali  had  met  with  no  opposition, 
and  had  advanced  with  much  greater  rapidity  than  was  ex- 
pected, the  preparations  for  resistance  were  altogether  incom- 
plete at  the  time  he  moved  forward  from  Corinth,  though  the 
people  were  firmly  determined  to  resist  his  advance  from 
Nauplia.  Accordingly,  to  the  great  disappointment  of  Mr. 
Beveridge,  he  moved  without  opposition  through  the  narrow 
defile  of  Dervenaki,  where  a  few  hundred  men  could  have 
successfully  opposed  the  advance  of  an  army,  and  arrived 
without  firing  a  shot  at  Argos,  almost  within  sight  of  Nauplia, 
sending  forward  Ali  Pasha  with  five  hundred  cavalry  to  take 
the  command  at  Nauplia. 

Had  the  Turkish  fleet  now  arrived  with  supplies,  as  had 
been  arranged,  it  is  probable  that  Dramali  would  have  over- 
run the  Morea,  and  that  the  revolution  in  Greece  would  have 
been  stamped  out:  but  instead  of  doing  this  it  passed  round 
the  Morea  to  Patras  in  order  to  take  on  board  Mehemet,  who 
had  just  been  appointed  Capitan  Pasha.  Dramali  therefore 
found  himself  at  Argos  without  provisions,  as,  relying  upon 
obtaining  supplies  from  the  fleet,  he  had  not  encumbered 
himself  with  a  baggage  train. 

The  members  of  the  Greek  government  whose  head-quar- 
ters had  been  at  Argos,  had  fled  precipitately  at  the  approach 
of  Dramali.  Argos  had  been  crowded  with  political  leaders 
and  military  adventurers  who  had  gathered  there  in  hopes  of 
sharing  in  the  plunder  of  Nauplia.  All  these  fled  in  such 
haste  that  the  national  archives  and  a  large  quantity  of  plate 
that  had  just  been  collected  from  the  churches  and  monas- 
teries for  the  public  service,  were  abandoned.  A  wild  panic 
had  seized  the  inhabitants,  whose  numbers  had  been  vastly 


316  IX    GREEK    WATERS 

increased  by  refugees  from  Smyrna,  Chios,  and  other  places, 
and  thousands  deserted  their  houses  and  property,  and  fled  in 
frantic  terror.  As  soon  as  they  had  left,  the  town  was  plun- 
dered by  bands  of  Greek  klephts,  who  seized  the  horses, 
mules,  working  oxen,  and  carts  of  the  peasantry  round  and 
loaded  them  with  the  plunder  collected  in  the  city,  and  the 
Turks,  when  they  entered  Argos,  found  that  it  had  already 
been  sacked. 

While,  however,  the  ministers,  senators,  and  generals  of 
Greece  were  flying  in  panic,  the  spirit  of  the  people  was  ris- 
ing, and  a  body  of  volunteers  took  possession  of  the  ruined 
castle  where  the  ancient  Acropolis  of  Argos  had  stood,  and 
defended  the  position  successfully  against  the  first  attack  of 
the  Turks.  Of  all  the  Greek  leaders,  Prince  Demetrius  Hyp- 
silantes  alone  showed  courage  and  presence  of  mind.  Hasten- 
ing through  the  country  he  addressed  energetic  harangues  to 
the  people,  who  responded  enthusiastically  to  his  impassioned 
words,  and  took  up  arms  without  waiting  for  the  call  of  their 
nominal  leaders.  The  work  of  the  little  English  party  now 
bore  fruit,  and  the  peasants,  with  arms  in  their  hands,  some 
without  leaders,  some  commanded  by  their  captains  and  pri- 
mates, flocked  from  all  parts  of  the  Morea  towards  the  scene 
of  action. 

Having  seen  the  work  well  begun,  Hypsilantes  hastened 
back  to  Argos,  and,  accompanied  by  several  young  chiefs, 
threw  himself  with  some  eight  hundred  men  into  the  ruined 
castle,  raising  the  force  there  to  a  thousand  men.  The  place 
was,  however,  badly  supplied  with  provisions  and  water,  and 
the  Turks  closely  invested  it.  The  object  with  which  the  first 
volunteers  had  occupied  the  place  had  been  gained :  the  ad- 
vance of  the  Turks  had  been  arrested,  and  time  had  been  given 
to  the  people  of  the  Morea  to  rise.  Hypsilantes  and  the 
greater  portion  of  the  garrison  accordingly  withdrew  during 
the  night;  but  a  small  band  held  it  for  three  days  longer, 
cutting  their  way  out  when  their  last  loaf  was  finished  on  the 
i st  of  August,  having  occupied  it  on  the  24th  of  July. 


A    TURKISH    DEFEAT  317 

By  this  time  the  Greeks  had  five  thousand  men  assembled 
at  Lerna,  the  port  of  Argos,  where  the  cowardly  leaders  had 
embarked,  and  they  held  a  very  strong  position  where  the 
ground  rendered  it  impossible  for  the  Turkish  cavalry  to  act. 
Other  large  bodies  of  Greeks  occupied  all  the  mountains 
surrounding  the  plain  of  Argos.  Had  Dramali,  when  he  first 
found  that  the  fleet  had  gone  past  with  the  supplies,  returned 
to  Corinth,  he  could  have  done  so  without  a  shot  being  fired; 
but  it  was  not  until  the  6th  of  August,  after  wasting  a  fort- 
night, that  he  prepared  to  move.  He  had  brought  with  him 
from  Corinth  ten  thousand  men,  of  whom  half  were  cavalry, 
and  already  much  greater  numbers  of  Greeks  were  gathered 
round  him.  Kolokotronis  was  nominally  in  command,  but 
the  villagers  obeyed  their  local  leaders,  and  there  was  no 
order  or  system  among  them.  Had  there  been,  they  could 
have  occupied  strong  positions  on  the  various  roads  leading 
up  to  the  hills,  and  compelled  the  surrender  of  the  whole 
Turkish  army.  Instead  of  doing  this,  each  of  the  local  chiefs 
took  up  the  position  that  seemed  to  him  to  be  best. 

The  advance  guard  of  the  Turkish  army  consisted  of  a 
thousand  Albanians,  trained  and  seasoned  troops.  These  were 
allowed  to  go  through  without  even  a  skirmish.  A  body  of 
cavalry  were  then  sent  forward  along  the  road  by  which  they 
had  come,  and  ordered  to  occupy  the  Dervenaki  defile,  which 
Dramali  had  left  unguarded  behind  him.  They  found  the 
Greeks  intrenched  there.  The  first  Turkish  division  there- 
fore moved  by  another  pass.  Niketos,  one  of  the  bravest  of 
the  Greek  commanders,  with  two  thousand  men  barred  the 
valley  and  fell  on  their  left  flank,  while  another  body  of 
Greeks,  under  Hypsilantes  and  Dikaios,  attacked  them  on 
the  right.  The  Turkish  cavalry  charged  forward  and  tried  to 
clear  the  valley,  but  a  picked  body  of  marksmen,  on  a  low  hill 
overlooking  a  ravine,  shot  them  down  and  blocked  the  ravine 
wkh  the  bodies  of  the  horses  and  their  riders. 

The  pressure  from  behind  increased,  and  a  body  of  well- 
mounted  horsemen  managed  to  dash  through  and  reach  Cor- 


318  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

inth  in  safety.  Behind  them  the  slaughter  was  terrible.  The 
Turks  were  shot  down  in  numbers,  and  fled  in  every  direction. 
Many  were  killed,  but  more  succeeded  in  escaping,  for  the 
Greeks  directed  their  whole  attention  to  plundering  the  great 
baggage-trains,  consisting  of  mules  and  camels  laden  with  the 
valuables  of  the  pashas  and  the  rich  spoil  that  had  been  gath- 
ered in  their  advance.  The  news  of  the  destruction  of  the 
first  division  of  his  army  astounded  Dramali;  but  it  was 
impossible  for  him  to  remain  at  Argos,  and  the  following  day 
he  moved  forward  by  another  road  up  the  steep  hill  known  as 
Kleisura.  Dikaios  opposed  them  in  front;  Niketos  and  Hypsi- 
lantes  fell  on  their  left  flank. 

As  on  the  previous  day,  the  baggage-train  proved  the  salva- 
tion of  the  Turkish  soldiers.  The  Greeks  directed  their  entire 
attention  to  it;  and  while  they  were  occupied  in  cutting  it  off, 
a  brilliant  charge  by  a  chosen  band  of  Turkish  horsemen 
cleared  the  road  in  front,  and  Dramali,  with  the  main  body 
of  his  cavalry,  was  enabled  to  escape  to  Corinth.  His  mili- 
tary chest,  and  the  whole  of  the  Turkish  baggage,  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  Greeks.  The  troops  under  the  immediate 
command  of  Kolokotronis  took  no  part  whatever  in  either 
day's  fighting,  the  whole  of  which  was  done  by  the  two 
thousand  men  under  the  command  of  Niketos,  under  whom 
Dikaios  and  Hypsilantes  acted.  As  Kolokotronis,  however, 
was  the  nominal  commander,  the  credit  of  the  defeat  of  Dra- 
mali was  generally  ascribed  to  him. 

The  Moriots  returned  to  their  native  villages,  enriched  by 
the  spoil  they  had  gathered.  The  party  from  the  schooner 
had  been  spectators  of  the  fight.  They  had  scarcely  expected 
so  good  a  result,  for  the  disorder,  the  want  of  plan,  the  neglect 
of  any  attempt  to  seize  and  occupy  the  roads,  and,  above  all, 
the  utter  incapacity  of  Kolokotronis,  seemed  to  render  suc- 
cess almost  hopeless;  and,  indeed,  out  of  the  fourteen  thou- 
sand Greeks  assembled  but  two  thousand  fired  a  shot. 

Fortunately  the  brunt  of  the  Turkish  attack  fell  upon  the 
one  little  division  that  was  ably  commanded.     Had  the  main 


A    TURKISH    DEFEAT  319 

body  aided  them,  not  a  soldier  of  Dramali's  army  would  have 
escaped.  As  it  was,  their  loss  in  men  was  comparatively 
small;  but  the  total  destruction  of  their  baggage-train,  and, 
still  more,  the  disorganization  and  depression  which  followed 
the  disaster,  inflicted  upon  them  by  an  enemy  they  despised, 
completely  paralyzed  them,  and  no  forward  move  was  again 
attempted.  Dramali  himself  was  utterly  broken  down  by  the 
humiliation,  and  died  at  Corinth  two  months  later. 

Mr.  Beveridge  was  well  contented  with  the  success,  which 
was  due  partly  to  his  efforts.  He  had  expended  upwards  of 
five  thousand  pounds,  and  eight  thousand  muskets  and  a  large 
quantity  of  ammunition  had  been  distributed  from  the  schooner 
to  the  peasants.  The  victory  ought,  he  felt,  to  have  been 
much  more  conclusive;  but  the  spirit  awakened  among  the 
Moriots,  and  the  confidence  that  would  be  engendered  through- 
out Greece  at  this  victory  over  an  army  that  had  expected  to 
overrun  the  whole  country  without  difficulty,  immensely  im- 
proved the  chances  that  Greek  independence  would  be  finally 
established. 

There  was,  however,  one  unfortunate  consequence  of  the 
affair.  The  success  of  these  armed  peasants  at  Argos  con- 
firmed the  Greeks  in  their  idea  that  discipline  was  wholly 
unnecessary,  that  regular  troops  were  a  mistake,  and  that  all 
that  was  needed  to  conquer  the  Turks  was  for  the  people  to 
muster  under  their  local  leaders  whenever  danger  threatened. 
This  absurd  idea  was  the  cause  of  many  heavy  disasters  which 
subsequently  occurred.  When  the  second  day's  fighting  was 
over  the  English  party  made  their  way  back  to  the  schooner. 

"  I  congratulate  you  heartily,  sir,  on  the  success  the  Greeks 
have  gained,"  Martyn  said:  for  the  news  of  the  victory  had 
already  reached  him. 

"Thank  you,  Martyn.  It  might  and  ought  to  have  been  a 
great  deal  better.  Still,  I  am  very  thankful  that  it  is  as  good 
as  it  is.  I  can  feel  now  that,  come  what  may,  my  mission  out 
here  has  not  been  altogether  a  failure.  We  have  done  much 
good  work  in  the  cause  of  humanity.     My  work  during  the 


320  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

last  three  weeks  has  been  exactly  what  I  pictured  it  would  be 
before  I  left  home.  By  my  personal  efforts  I  did  a  good  deal 
to  arouse  the  enthusiasm  of  the  peasants.  My  money  increased 
my  influence,  and  the  arms  we  brought  out  contributed  largely 
to  the  success  of  the  fight.     I  am  pleased  and  gratified." 

"What  sort  of  time  have  you  had,  Miller?  "  Martyn  asked 
his  comrade  as  they  walked  up  and  down  the  quarter-deck 
together,  as  Mr.  Beveridge  descended  to  his  cabin. 

"  It  has  been  good  enough,  for  we  have  done  a  lot  of 
tramping  up  hill  and  down.  The  chief  bought  a  horse  the  day 
he  landed,  or  I  am  sure  he  never  could  have  stood  it;  it  was 
pretty  hard  work  even  for  us.  You  should  have  seen  him, 
day  after  day,  haranguing  crowds  of  villagers.  Of  course  I 
could  not  understand  a  word  he  said;  but  I  can  tell  you  he 
worked  them  up  into  a  regular  frenzy;  and  the  way  they 
shouted  and  waved  their  hands,  and,  as  I  imagine,  swore  ter- 
rible oaths  that  they  would  kill  and  eat  every  Turk  they  saw, 
was  something  tremendous.  It  quite  electrified  our  fellows, 
who  have  been  accustomed,  I  suppose,  to  consider  the  chief 
as  a  quiet,  easy-going  gentleman,  and  they  cheered  and 
shouted  as  loudly  as  the  Greeks.  Zaimes  and  his  brother  went 
off  on  expeditions,  on  their  own  account,  to  villages  we  could 
not  spare  time  to  go  to.  We  were  all  right  as  to  quarters  and 
grub.  The  primates  and  captains,  or  whatever  the  leaders 
call  themselves,  naturally  made  a  lot  of  us — and  no  wonder, 
considering  how  the  chief  scattered  his  money  among  them 
all.  The  mule  that  carried  the  money  was  pretty  heavily  laden 
when  he  went  up,  but  the  boxes  were  emptied  before  we 
returned.  The  food,  of  course,  was  pretty  rough,  though  it 
was  the  best  they  had;  but  one  has  been  spoiled  for  roughing 
it  by  our  living  here." 

"  I  found  a  difference,  I  can  tell  you,  Miller,  since  you 
went,  and  I  am  heartily  glad  that  Marco  is  back  again.  How 
has  the  doctor  got  on?  " 

"  I  think  he  has  found  it  harder  than  he  expected,"  Miller 
laughed.     "  He  confided  to  me  to-day  that  he  shall  not  vol- 


A    TURKISH    DEFEAT  321 

unteer  for  another  expedition.  But  I  was  very  glad  he  was 
with  us;  for  Horace,  of  course,  was  always  in  the  thick  of  it, 
with  his  father,  jawing  away  with  the  village  notables,  and  I 
should  have  had  a  dull  time  of  'it  if  it  had  not  been  for  the 
doctor,  whose  remarks  upon  the  real  enthusiasm  of  the  peas- 
antry and  the  bought  enthusiasm  of  their  leaders  were  very 
amusing.  The  doctor  does  not  say  much  when  we  are  all 
together;  but  he  is  not  at  all  a  bad  companion,  and  there  is 
a  lot  of  dry  humour  about  him.  And  now  I  sha'n't  be  sorry 
when  supper  is  ready,  for  we  have  been  on  our  legs  since  day- 
break, and  I  have  had  nothing  to  eat  but  some  bread  we 
carried  with  us  and  some  wine  with  which  we  had  all  filled 
our  water-bottles." 

After  this,  for  a  time,  the  Misericordia  had  a  quiet  time  of 
it  cruising  idly  about  among  the  Ionian  Islands,  and  then 
crossing  to  Venice,  where  they  stayed  for  three  weeks.  Then 
they  crossed  the  Adriatic  again,  and  put  in  at  the  port  of 
Missolonghi.  Mr.  Beveridge  was  very  anxious  to  hear  the 
result  of  the  battle  that  was  expected  between  the  Greek  army, 
under  Mavrocordatos,  and  the  Turks  advancing  south.  He 
had  himself  strongly  wished  to  go  with  the  Greek  army,  but 
had  been  dissuaded  by  Horace. 

"My  dear  father,  if  we  do  any  fighting  at  sea,  we  assuredly 
do  our  share  without  taking  part  in  fighting  on  shore.  When 
we  have  once  seen  the  Greeks  make  a  successful  stand  it  will 
surely  be  time  enough  for  us  to  take  any  share  in  the  matter. 
The  Philhellenes  will  fight,  that  is  quite  certain;  but  I  think 
the  odds  are  all  against  the  Greeks  doing  so.  Besides,  as 
you  have  often  said,  Mavrocordatos  is  no  more  fit  to  com- 
mand an  army  than  any  old  woman  in  the  streets  of  Athens 
would  be.  He  knows  nothing  whatever  of  military  matters, 
and  will  take  no  advice  from  those  who  do.  I  think  there 
would  be  a  tremendous  risk  in  joining  the  Greek  army,  and 
no  advantage  to  be  gained  from  it.  Of  course,  if  you  wish 
to  go  I  will  go  with  you,  and  we  can  take  some  of  the  men  if 
you  like;  but  I  certainly  think  we  had  better  keep  away  from 
it  altogether." 


322  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

And  so,  instead  of  joining  the  Greek  army,  they  had  sailed 
to  Venice.  As  soon  as  they  dropped  anchor  off  Missolonghi 
Horace  was  rowed  ashore  to  get  the  news.  He  returned  in 
an  hour. 

"  It  is  lucky  indeed,  father,  that  we  went  to  Venice  instead 
of  with  Mavrocordatos." 

"What,  have  the  Greeks  been  beaten?" 

"  Completely  smashed  up,  father.  I  have  been  talking  to 
two  or  three  of  the  Philhellenes  who  were  lucky  enough  to 
escape.  Mavrocordatos  sent  the  army  on  to  Petta,  and  estab- 
lished himself  some  twenty  miles  in  the  rear.  His  chief  of 
the  staff,  General  Normann,  felt  the  position  was  a  very  bad 
one,  but  could  not  fall  back  when  the  Turks  advanced,  as  he 
had  no  orders.  The  regular  troops,  that  is,  the  one  regular 
regiment,  the  hundred  Philhellenes,  and  a  body  of  Ionian 
volunteers,  were  stationed  in  a  position  in  front.  The  Greek 
irregulars,  two  thousand  strong,  were  placed  some  distance 
in  the  rear,  and  were  to  cover  the  regulars  from  any  attack 
from  that  direction.  Two  leaders  of  the  irregulars  were  in 
communication  with  the  Turks;  when  these  advanced,  the 
eight  hundred  men  in  front,  who  had  two  guns  with  them, 
repulsed  them ;  but  Reshid  Pasha  sent  round  six  hundred 
Albanians,  who  advanced  against  a  strong  position  in  the 
rear.  The  whole  body  of  the  Greek  irregulars  bolted  like 
rabbits,  and  then  the  Turks  in  front  and  the  Albanians  from 
the  rear  attacked  the  front  division  on  all  sides.  They  fought 
gallantly.  Of  the  hundred  Philhellenes,  seventy-five  were 
killed,  the  other  twenty-five  broke  their  way  through  the 
Turkish  ranks.  The  Greek  regiment  and  the  Ionians  were 
cut  up  by  the  Turkish  infantry  fire,  followed  by  charges  of 
their  cavalry.  Half  of  *"hem  were  killed,  the  others  broke 
their  way  through  the  Turks.  So  out  of  the  eight  hundred 
men  over  four  hundred  were  killed.  They  say  that  not  one 
surrendered.  So  I  think,  father,  it  is  very  well  that  we  did 
not  go  up  to  see  the  fight,  for  you  would  naturally  have  been 
somewhere  near  the  Philhellenes." 


A    TURKISH    DEFEAT  323 

"This  is  bad  news  indeed,  Horace.'' 

"It  is,  father;  but  how  the  Greeks  could  suppose  that  it 
was  any  use  getting  up  a  regular  army,  consisting  of  one  regi- 
ment of  six  hundred  men,  to  fight  the  Turks,  is  more  than 
I  can  imagine.  As  to  their  irregulars,  except  for  fighting 
among  the  mountains,  I  do  not  see  that  they  are  of  the  slight- 
est good. 

"  I  am  awfully  sorry  for  the  foreign  officers.  After  coming 
here,  as  they  did,  to  fight  for  Greece,  and  then  forming  them- 
selves into  a  corps  to  encourage  the  natives  to  fight,  to  be 
deserted  and  left  to  fight  a  whole  army  is  shameful.  Those  I 
spoke  to  are  terribly  cut  up  at  the  loss  of  three-quarters  of 
their  comrades.  The  Turks  are  advancing  against  Misso- 
longhi.  The  Suliots  have  made  terms,  and  are  to  be  trans- 
ported to  the  Ionian  Islands.  The  British  consul  at  Prevesa 
guarantees  that  the  terms  shall  be  honourably  kept  on  both 
sides." 

.Mr.  Beveridge  went  ashore  later,  and  returned  completely 
disheartened  by  his  conversation  with  the  leading  inhabitants. 
He  learned  that,  so  far  from  the  defeat  at  Petta  convincing 
the  Greeks  that  it  was  only  by  submitting  to  discipline  and 
forming  regular  regiments  that  they  could  hope  to  oppose  the 
Turks,  they  had  determined,  on  the  contrary,  that  there  was  no 
hope  of  fighting  in  that  way,  and  that  henceforward  they  must 
depend  entirely  upon  the  irregulars. 

"Their  blindness  is  extraordinary,"  he  said.  "They  saw 
that,  few  as  the  disciplined  men  were,  they  repulsed  the  attack 
of  the  Turkish  troops  in  front,  and  were  only  crushed  when 
totally  surrounded;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  two  thousand 
five  hundred  irregulars  were  unable  even  to  attempt  to  make 
a  stand  against  six  hundred  Albanians,  but  deserted  their 
comrades  and  tied  after  scarcely  firing  a  shot;  and  yet  in  the 
future  they  intend  to  trust  solely  to  these  useless  bands. 

"At  present  everyone  is  quarrelling  with  everyone  else. 
While  Reshid  Pasha  is  preparing  to  invade  Greece  the  captains 
and  primates,  instead  of  uniting  to  oppose  them,  are  quarrel- 


324  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

ling  and  fighting  among  themselves  for  their  share  of  the 
national  revenues.  The  district  of  Agrapha  is  being  laid 
waste  by  civil  broils;  the  province  of  Vlochos  is  being 
devastated  by  the  bands  of  two  rival  leaders;  Kravari  is  pil- 
laged alternately  by  the  bands  of  two  other  scoundrels:  Gogos 
and  half  a  dozen  other  captains  have  openly  gone  over  to  the 
Turks.     There  is  only  one  hope  I  can  see,"  he  added  bitterly. 

"What  is  that,  Mr.  Beveridge?"   Martyn  asked. 

"  It  is,  that  the  Greeks  will  continue  their  civil  broils  until 
they  make  their  country  a  complete  desert;  and  that  the  Turks, 
finding  that  they  can  obtain  no  food  whatever,  will  be  obliged 
by  starvation  to  quit  the  country.  One  thing  I  am  resolved 
upon,  and  that  is,  that  until  the  Greeks  fight  for  themselves  I 
will  do  nothing  further  whatever  in  the  matter.  I  will  still 
try  to  save  women  and  children,  but  I  will  do  nothing  else. 
I  will  neither  interfere  with  Turkish  commerce  nor  fire  a  gun 
at  a  Turkish  ship  of  war.  We  will  lower  our  long  gun  and 
four  of  the  others  down  into  the  hold,  Captain  Martyn,  and 
we  will  cruise  about  and  enjoy  ourselves  for  a  bit." 

"Very  well,  sir.  It  is  just  a  year  since  we  arrived  out  here, 
and  a  little  peace  and  quiet  and  amusement  will  do  us  no 
harm.  I  don't  know  how  it  would  be  with  our  flag,  and 
whether  we  can  sail  into  Malta  or  into  the  Italian  ports  with 
it,  or  whether  we  can  hoist  our  own  again." 

"The  papers  are  all  right,  I  believe,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said. 
"You  see,  she  was  nominally  sold  to  the  agent  here  of  a  Greek 
firm  in  London,  and  is  therefore  registered  as  the  property  of 
a  Greek  subject.  I  have  papers  signed  by  them  selling  the 
vessel  again  to  me,  with  blanks  for  the  dates,  which  can  be 
filled  in  at  any  time;  but  these,  of  course,  I  could  only  fill  in 
and  use  in  the  event  of  my  deciding  to  leave  Greece  alto- 
gether and  return  to  England.  So  that,  at  present,  we  are 
simply  a  Greek  ship,  owned  by  natives  of  that  country,  and 
holding  letters  of  marque  from  the  Greek  government  to  act 
as  a  privateer.  I  do  not  think  that  the  transaction  would  be 
recognized  by  any  European  power  in  the  case  of  two  Euro- 


A   TURKISH    DEFEAT  325 

pean  belligerents;  but  this  is  an  exceptional  case,  as  the 
sympathies  of  all  the  Christian  powers  are  with  the  Greeks. 
As  far  as  the  Turks  are  concerned,  it  makes  no  difference; 
whether  Greek  or  English,  they  would  hang  us  if  they  caught 
us.  But  I  don't  think  any  very  close  inquiries  are  likely  to 
be  made  in  any  European  port.  Our  Greek  papers  are  all 
correct,  and  as  we  know  that  the  account  of  our  having  saved 
large  numbers  of  fugitives  from  Chios  has  been  in  the  Eng- 
lish papers,  and  doubtless  our  interference  to  save  the  Turks 
at  Athens  has  also  been  published,  I  think  that  we  should  be 
received  well  by  the  sympathizers  of  either  party." 

The  next  morning  they  sailed  to  Corinth,  where  they 
remained  a  few  days.  John  Iskos,  Mr.  Beveridge's  agent  at 
Athens,  came  across  to  see  him.  He  informed  him  that  he 
had  sold  but  a  very  small  portion  of  the  goods  consigned  to 
him  in  the  prizes,  but  had  shipped  the  great  bulk  in  neutral 
vessels  and  consigned  them  to  the  firm  in  London;  the  vessels 
themselves  he  had  disposed  of  to  Hydriot  merchants.  He 
recommended  Mr.  Beveridge  to  hand  over  to  him  the  store  of 
silks  and  other  valuables  that  had  been  retained  on  board  the 
schooner,  and  he  would  put  them  at  once  on  board  an  Italian 
ship  at  present  in  the  port,  and  consign  them  to  a  Greek  house 
in  Genoa,  as  he  certainly  would  not  obtain  anything  like  fair 
prices  for  them  in  Greece. 

The  operation  occupied  two  days,  but  all  the  most  valuable 
goods  were  retained,  as  the  prizes  might  have  been  recaptured 
by  Turks  on  their  way  to  Athens.  The  prizes  had  been 
brought  in  by  Miller  and  Tarleton  alternately,  Marco  or 
Zaimes  accompanying  them  to  interpret,  the  crews  being 
taken  back  in  native  boats  to  Naxos,  to  which  island  the 
schooner  had  made  several  trips  to  pick  them  up. 

For  the  next  two  months  the  schooner  cruised  in  Italian 
waters,  from  Venice  round  to  Genoa,  putting  in  to  many  ports, 
making  a  circuit  of  Sicily,  and  paying  a  short  visit  to  Malta; 
then  learning  that  the  Turks  were  about  to  besiege  Missolonghi, 
and  that  the  town  was  going  to  resist  until  the  last,  they  crossed 


326  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

over  there  in  the  second  week  in  November.  They  found 
that  the  port  was  blockaded  by  some  Turkish  ships  from 
Patras,  but  that  some  Hydriot  vessels  were  expected  to  arrive 
shortly.  Mavrocordatos  was  himself  in  the  town  organizing 
the  defence,  and  taking  really  vigorous  measures  for  holding 
out  to  the  last. 

A  week  later  seven  Hydriot  brigs  arrived ;  the  Misericordia, 
which  had  again  mounted  all  her  guns,  joined  them;  but  as 
they  approached  the  port  the  Turkish  vessels  got  up  all  sail  and 
made  for  Patras,  and  the  Greeks  entered  the  port.  Misso- 
longhi  was  protected  by  a  low  mud  wall,  with  a  ditch  six  feet 
deep  by  sixteen  feet  wide.  It  contained  but  a  foot  of  water, 
but  at  the  bottom  was  a  deep  clay,  rendering  it  quite  impassa- 
ble. There  were  eight  guns  mounted  on  the  ramparts,  and 
Mr.  Beveridge  landed  at  once  six  more  of  those  still  lying  in 
the  hold,  with  a  supply  of  ammunition  for  the  whole. 

As  soon  as  the  port  was  open  a  thousand  men  crossed  over 
from  the  Morea  under  the  command  of  partisan  chiefs,  and 
from  time  to  time  others  came  in,  until  the  garrison,  origi- 
nally but  six  hundred  strong,  was  increased  to  two  thousand 
five  hundred.  For  some  weeks  nothing  was  done;  but  on  the 
eve  of  the  6th  of  January,  which  was  the  Greek  Christmas-day, 
a  Greek  fisherman  brought  in  news  that  the  Turks  were  pre- 
paring to  assault  the  next  morning  at  daylight,  when  they 
believed  the  Christians  would  generally  be  in  their  churches. 
Forty  men  were  landed  from  the  schooner  to  take  part  in  the 
defence.  At  daybreak  the  defenders  were  all  in  their  places, 
hidden  behind  the  rampart  or  concealed   in  the  houses  near. 

The  storming  party  was  led  by  eight  hundred  Albanian 
volunteers.  One  division  was  intended  to  scale  the  wall  on 
its  eastern  flank,  while  another  was  to  endeavour  to  penetrate 
the  town  by  wading  through  a  shallow  lagoon  at  its  eastern 
extremity.  The  whole  Turkish  army  turned  out,  and  suddenly 
opened  a  tremendous  fire  of  musketry  against  the  ramparts, 
while  the  storming  parties  moved  forward.  The  defenders 
remained  in  their  concealment  until  the  Albanians  were  close 


A   TURKISH    DEFEAT  327 

at  hand,  and  then,  leaping  up,  poured  their  fire  into  them. 
Expecting  to  take  the  defenders  by  surprise,  the  Albanians 
were  astounded  at  the  sudden  and  heavy  fire  poured  into  them, 
and  at  once  broke  and  fled  in  confusion.  For  some  hours  the 
Turks  kept  up  a  heavy  fire,  but  did  not  renew  their  attack  in 
earnest.  Tons  of  ammunition  were  fired  away  on  both  sides, 
and  then  the  Turks  fell  back  to  their  camps,  and  on  the  fol- 
lowing day  raised  the  siege. 

The  wildness  of  the  fire  was  evidenced  by  the  fact  that  only 
four  Greeks  were  killed.  The  blue-jackets  from  the  schooner 
joined  in  the  fire  upon  the  storming  parties,  but  when  it  was 
evident  that  the  Turks  had  no  idea  of  renewing  the  attack 
they  returned  on  board  ship.  Their  remarks  upon  the  com- 
batants were  the  reverse  of  complimentary. 

"  It  is  well-nigh  enough  to  make  a  man  sick,  Tom,"  one 
man  said  to  another  in  Horace's  hearing.  "To  see  them  both 
blazing  away  good  powder  and  lead  like  that,  I  reckon  to  be 
downright  sinful." 

"  You  are  right  there,  mate.  It  is  a  downright  waste  of  the 
gifts  of  Providence.  Why,  there  was  powder  and  ball  enough 
to  have  killed  a  good  five  thousand  Englishmen  and  French- 
men thrown  away  in  accounting  for  four  or  five  of  them  yelling 
fellows.  It  is  more  like  play-acting  than  fighting.  Why,  if 
you  was  to  arm  a  couple  of  gals'  schools  and  put  'em  to  fire 
at  each  other  they  would  do  ever  so  much  better  than  that. 
And  to  think  them  Greeks  calls  themselves  Christians  and 
don't  know  how  to  aim  a  musket  no  better  than  that;  they 
might  just  as  well  be  heathen." 

While  Missolonghi  had  been  resisting  successfully,  the 
Turkish  garrison  of  Nauplia  had  at  last  surrendered.  After 
Dramali's  army  had  abandoned  it  the  only  hope  that  remained 
to  them  was  that  the  fleet  might  return.  The  Greeks  retained 
possession  of  a  small  fort  that  had  been  given  up  to  them  at 
the  time  that  the  first  negotiations  for  surrender  were  going 
on.  From  this  fort  combustible  missiles  were  fired  into  the 
town,   and  a  brisk  cannonade  kept  up  with  its  defences,  but 


328  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

without  much  damage  being  done  on  either  side.  On  the 
20th  of  September  the  Turkish  fleet  appeared  off  the  entrance 
to  the  gulf,  and  the  Greek  fleet  from  the  islands  of  Hydra  and 
Spetzas  stood  out  to  meet  them. 

Unfortunately  Admiral  Kanaris  was  not  present.  For  four 
days  the  two  fleets  remained  in  sight  of  each  other,  firing  at 
such  distances  that  no  harm  was  done  on  either  side.  There 
was  nothing  to  have  prevented  the  Turkish  admiral  relieving 
Nauplia  and  landing  the  troops  and  provisions  in  his  trans- 
ports; but  he  feared  to  enter  the  gulf,  while  the  Greeks  shrank 
equally  from  an  attack  upon  him.  After  thus  exhibiting  for 
four  days  his  cowardice  and  incapacity,  the  Turkish  capitan- 
pasha  abandoned  Nauplia  to  its  fate.  The  resistance  only 
continued  because  the  Turks  could  put  no  reliance  upon  the 
oaths  of  the  Greeks.  Women  and  children  dropped  dead 
from  hunger  in  the  streets;  the  soldiers  were  so  weak  from 
starvation  that  but  few  were  able  to  carry  their  arms.  The 
citadel  was  at  last  abandoned  simply  because  the  soldiers  who 
went  down  into  the  town  to  fetch  the  scanty  rations  for  its 
defenders  were  too  weak  to  climb  the  hill  again;  and  the 
Greeks,  as  soon  as  they  learned  that  it  was  abandoned,  occu- 
pied the  position.  Kolokotronis  and  a  number  of  other 
leaders,  attracted  by  the  prospect  of  booty,  hurried  to  the 
spot  like  vultures  round  a  carcass. 

Negotiations  were  again  opened,  and  the  Turks  surren- 
dered on  the  terms  of  the  Greeks  engaging  to  transport  them 
to  Asia  Minor,  allowing  each  to  retain  a  single  suit  of  clothes, 
a  quilt  for  bedding,  and  a  carpet  for  prayer.  As  soon  as  the 
terms  were  signed,  Kolokotronis  and  the  captains  entered  the 
town  with  their  personal  followers  and  prevented  all  others 
from  entering.  The  soldiers  assembled  before  the  gates,  de- 
claring that  they  would  not  allow  the  chiefs  to  appropriate 
to  themselves  everything  valuable,  threatening  to  storm  the 
place,  murder  the  Turks,  and  sack  the  town.  Greece  was 
saved  from  fresh  dishonour  by  the  timely  arrival  of  the  Eng- 
lish frigate  Cambrian,  commanded  by  Captain  Hamilton.    He 


A    TURKISH    DEFEAT  329 

was  a  strong  friend  of  Greece,  and  was  known  to  many  of  the 
Greek  leaders. 

He  at  once  held  a  conference  with  them,  and  in  the  strongest 
language  urged  upon  them  the  necessity  of  taking  measures 
for  the  execution  of  the  capitulation,  for  that  another  breach 
of  faith,  another  foul  massacre,  would  render  the  name  of 
Greece  despicable  in  civilized  Europe  and  ruin  the  cause  of 
the  country.  Hamilton's  character  was  greatly  respected,  and 
his  words  had  their  effect.  He  insisted  upon  their  chartering 
ships  to  embark  the  Turks.  He  himself  took  five  hundred 
of  them  on  board  the  Cambrian,  and  nine  hundred  were 
embarked  in  the  Greek  transports.  This  interference  of  Cap- 
tain Hamilton  excited  great  anger  in  Greece. 

The  Turkish  fleet  did  not  escape  absolutely  scathless  after 
its  inglorious  departure  from  Nauplia.  Although  unmolested 
by  the  Greeks,  it  sailed  north,  and  anchored  inside  the  island 
of  Tenedos. 

Kanaris  persuaded  the  people  of  Psara  to  fit  out  two  fire- 
ships.  He  took  the  command  of  one,  and  both  sailed  for  the 
Turkish  fleet,  which  they  approached  at  daybreak.  Two  line- 
of-battle  ships  were  anchored  to  windward  of  the  rest  of  the 
fleet.  Kanaris  undertook  the  destruction  of  the  ship  to  lee- 
ward, that  being  the  most  difficult  operation.  He  succeeded 
as  well  as  he  had  done  on  two  previous  occasions.  He  ran 
the  enemy  aboard  to  windward,  lashed  the  fire-ship  there,  and 
fired  the  train.  The  Turk  was  at  once  enveloped  in  flames, 
and  the  whole  of  the  crew,  eight  hundred  in  number,  perished. 

But  Kanaris  seemed  to  be  the  only  Greek  naval  officer  who 
had  the  necessary  courage  and  coolness  to  manoeuvre  success- 
fully with  fire-ships.  The  other  captain  ran  his  fire-ship  along- 
side the  man-of-war  which  carried  the  flag  of  the  capitan-pasha. 
The  position  of  the  fire-ship  was,  however,  ill  chosen,  and  after 
being  set  on  fire  it  drifted  away  without  doing  injury  to  the 
Turk.  The  rest  of  the  Turkish  fleet  cut  their  cables  and  made 
for  the  Dardanelles,  while  one  corvette  ran  ashore  on  Tenedos. 
Another  was  abandoned  by  her  crew.  Kanaris  and  the  crews 
of  the  two  fire-ships  returned  safely  to  Psara  in  their  boats. 


330  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

CHAPTER   XIX 

PRISONERS 

ONE  day,  after  cruising  along  the  coast  inside  the  island  of 
Euboea  or  Negropont,  the  Misericordia  entered  the  Gulf 
of  Zeitouni,  the  Sinus  Maliacus  of  the  ancients.  When  they 
were  nearly  at  the  head  of  the  gulf  Horace  asked  Captain 
Martyn  to  let  him  go  ashore  to  a  little  village  at  the  water's 
edge  to  get  some  vegetables  and  fruit,  of  which  the  supply 
had  run  out. 

"  Just  as  you  like,  Horace.  A  boat-load  of  green  stuff  of 
some  sort  or  other  would  be  very  welcome,  and  if  you  can 
pick  up  half  a  dozen  kids  so  much  the  better." 

"I  am  thinking  I  will  go  with  you,  Horace,"  Macfarlane 
said;  "  it  does  a  man  good  to  stretch  his  legs  ashore  once  in 
a  way." 

The  gig  was  at  once  lowered,  and  on  Horace  and  the  doctor 
taking  their  seats  in  the  stern,  four  sailors  rowed  them  ashore. 

"  I  sha'n't  take  the  trouble  to  anchor,"  Martyn  said  as  they 
left  the  ship.  "  I  expect  you  will  be  back  in  an  hour,  and  I 
shall  keep  her  standing  off  and  on  till  I  see  you  put  out." 

Leaving  two  of  the  men  in  charge  of  the  boat,  Horace 
told  the  other  two  to  take  some  of  the  baskets  they  had 
brought  ashore  and  follow  him.  Some  women  looked  out 
timidly  at  the  doors  of  the  houses,  but  no  men  were  to  be  seen 
about. 

"We  are  friends, " -Horace  said;  "do  you  not  see  we  are 
flying  the  Greek  flag?     Where  are  all  the  men?  " 

"They  have  gone  away  with  Vriones.  He  came  with  an 
armed  band  and  said  that  every  man  must  go  with  him  to 
fight." 

"Who  have  they  gone  to  fight?  " 

"Ah!  that  we  don't  know.  He  talked  about  fighting  the 
Turks,  but  we  think  it  more  likely  that  he  is  going  to  fight 


PRISONERS  331 

Rhangos.  They  are  at  war  with  each  other.  Oh,  these  are 
bad  times !  What  with  the  war  with  the  Turks,  and  the  war  of 
one  captain  with  another,  and  what  with  bands  of  klephts  who 
plunder  everyone,  there  is  no  peace  nor  quiet.  They  say 
Rhangos  is  going  to  join  the  Turks,  as  many  other  klepht 
leaders  have  done.  To  us  it  makes  little  difference  who  are 
masters,  so  that  we  know  who  they  are.  In  the  time  of  the 
Turks  we  had  peace;  we  had  to  pay  taxes,  but  we  knew  what 
they  were.  Now  everybody  wants  taxes.  These  are  evil 
days." 

"We  want  some  vegetables  and  some  fruit,"  Horace  said. 
"We  do  not  wish  to  rob  you,  and  are  ready  to  pay  a  fair  price 
for  everything." 

"Those  we  can  sell  you,"  the  woman  said,  "it  is  nearly  all 
we  have  left.  There  are  vegetables  everywhere,  and  they  are 
not  worth  stealing." 

The  news  soon  spread,  and  the  women  and  children  of  the 
village  were  soon  engaged  in  gathering  and  tying  up  vege- 
tables. The  sailors  made  several  trips  backwards  and  forwards 
to  the  boats  with  laden  baskets,  while  the  doctor  and  Horace, 
seated  upon  a  low  wall,  watched  the  women  at  work  in  the 
gardens,  and  paid  the  sum  agreed  upon  for  each  basketful  that 
was  carried  off.  Suddenly,  without  the  slightest  warning, 
there  was  a  rush  of  men  behind  them,  and  before  they  could 
draw  their  pistols  they  were  seized,  thrown  down,  and  bound. 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  this?  "  Horace  asked  indignantly. 
"  We  are  officers  of  that  ship  there,  which  is  in  the  service  of 
Greece.  As  you  are  Greeks,  what  do  you  mean  by  molesting 
us?  " 

No  reply  was  given.  There  was  a  sudden  outburst  of  firing 
down  by  the  boat,  and  the  screams  of  women  rose  in  the  air. 
The  men  who  had  bound  them  moved  away  at  the  order  of  an 
officer,  leaving  two  with  muskets  standing  over  the  prisoners. 

"This  is  a  nice  business,  doctor;  I  expect  we  have  fallen 
into  the  hands  of  Rhangos,  the  fellow  the  women  were  speak- 
ing about,  and  the  men  of  this  village  have  gone  out  with  some 


332  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

other  scoundrel  to  fight.  I  suppose  he  had  spies  about,  and 
came  down  to  plunder  the  place  in  their  absence.  She  said 
she  heard  Rhangos  was  going  to  join  the  Turks;  his  capturing 
us  certainly  looks  as  if  at  present  he  was  hostile  to  the  Greeks. 
If  he  takes  us  away  and  hands  us  over  to  the  Turks  it  is  a  bad 
look-out." 

"  He  will  have  to  be  quick  about  it,"  the  doctor  said,  "they 
are  still  firing  occasional  shots  down  by  the  water.  That 
looks  as  if  the  boat  has  got  away,  and  you  may  be  sure  Martyn 
won't  be  long  before  he  sends  as  many  men  as  he  can  spare 
ashore  to  find  us.  There,  do  you  hear?"  and  as  he  spoke 
there  was  the  deep  boom  of  a  gun,  followed  by  the  rush  of  a 
shot  overhead. 

Orders  were  shouted  angrily  directly  afterwards.  Some 
men  ran  up,  cut  the  cords  that  bound  the  prisoners'  legs,  and 
then,  seizing  them  by  the  arms,  hurried  them  away,  threaten- 
ing them  with  instant  death  if  they  did  not  keep  up  with 
them.  As  they  mounted  the  high  ground  behind  the  village 
Horace  glanced  round.  Three  boats  were  just  leaving  the 
schooner.  A  blow  from  one  of  the  Greeks  that,  bound  as  he 
was,  nearly  threw  him  down,  compelled  him  to  turn  his  head 
and  hurry  forward  again.  For  hours  they  hastened  along. 
When  about  a  mile  from  the  village  a  sharp  fire  was  heard  to 
break  out  in  that  direction.  As  they  had  only  eight  men  with 
them,  they  doubted  not  that  Rhangos  was  with  the  main  body 
opposing  the  landing. 

"Our  fellows  will  soon  clear  them  out  of  the  village," 
Horace  said  to  the  doctor.  "  I  only  hope  that,  as  they  retire, 
the  Greeks  will  follow  us,  for  you  may  be  sure  that  Martyn 
and  Miller  will  press  hard  on  them,  and  may  perhaps  over- 
take us." 

Up  to  nightfall,  however,  none  of  the  band  came  up.  The 
country  had  been  getting  more  and  more  hilly,  and  at  sunset 
they  halted  far  up  on  the  side  of  a  mountain.  Here  a  fire  was 
lit,  and  some  portions  of  a  kid  that  had  evidently  been  part 
of  the  plunder  of  the  village  were  put  over  it  to  roast.     The 


PRISONERS  333 

fire  was  kept  blazing,  and  the  doctor  and  Horace  agreed  that 
it  was  probably  intended  as  a  signal  to  their  comrades.  A 
lump  of  meat  was  thrown  to  each  of  the  captives,  their  cords 
being  loosed  sufficiently  to  enable  them  to  use  their  hands, 
their  legs  being  tightly  bound  again  as  soon  as  they  had  halted. 
At  eight  o'clock  a  sound  of  voices  was  heard,  and  presently  a 
party  of  Greeks,  fully  a  hundred  strong,  came  up.  They  were 
evidently  in  an  ill  temper,  and  replied  sulkily  to  the  questions 
of  the  guard  of  the  prisoners.  Horace  gathered  from  their 
answers  that  they  had  fired  a  volley  upon  the  boats  as  they 
approached ;  then,  seeing  they  came  on  without  a  pause,  had 
at  once  run  from  the  village  and  scattered,  reuniting  some 
miles  on. 

"We  lost  everything  we  had  taken,"  one  of  the  men  said. 
"  We  had  it  all  packed  and  ready  to  carry  away,  when  those 
confounded  sailors  came.  Some  of  us  did  start  with  our 
bundles,  but  they  came  so  fast  up  to  us  that  we  had  to  throw 
everything  away,  and  even  then  we  had  a  lot  of  difficulty  in 
keeping  away  from  them.  I  expect  they  caught  some.  It 
was  lucky  we  started  off  when  we  did;  if  we  had  waited  till 
they  landed  very  few  would  have  got  away." 

"Didn't  they  shoot?  "  one  of  the  guards  asked. 

"No,  they  never  fired  a  shot.  I  don't  know  whether  they 
came  ashore  without  powder,  but  from  first  to  last  they  never 
fired." 

"They  knew  we  had  these  two  in  our  hands,"  the  guards 
said,  "and  they  were  afraid  if  they  killed  any  of  us  we  should 
take  it  out  of  our  prisoners,  and  I  think  they  were  about  right. 
Ah !  here  comes  Rhangos.  He  had  to  take  to  a  farmhouse 
before  he  had  gone  half  a  mile,  and  I  suppose  if  any  of  them 
looked  in  they  would  have  seen  him  feeding  pigs  or  something 
of  that  sort,  with  his  finery  and  arms  hidden  away." 

The  klepht  had  now  come  up  to  the  fire.  He  was  a  spare 
man,  some  fifty  years  old,  with  a  keen  hungry  face. 

"Are  all  here?"  he  asked  briefly. 

"We  are  six  short  of  our  number,"  a  man,  who  by  his  dress 
had  evidently  the  rank  of  an  officer  among  them,  replied. 


334  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

"Killed?" 

"No,  there  was  no  firing;  I  expect  those  sailors  ran  them 
down." 

"Then  we  must  march  in  half-an-hour,  they  will  make  them 
lead  them  here.  Now,  then,  who  are  you?"  he  asked  the 
doctor  as  the  elder  of  the  prisoners. 

"My  friend  does  not  speak  Greek,"  Horace  replied.  "As 
you  must  be  well  aware  we  are  officers  of  that  schooner  that 
was  lying  off  the  village.  This  is  the  doctor,  I  am  third  lieu- 
tenant. We  are  friends  of  Greece,  we  have  been  in  action 
against  the  Turkish  ships  of  war,  we  have  saved  great  num- 
bers of  Greek  fugitives  from  the  Turks,  now  this  is  the  treat- 
ment that  we  receive  at  the  hands  of  the  Greeks." 

Horace's  reticence  as  to  the  fact  that  he  was  the  son  of  the 
owner  of  the  schooner  was  the  result  of  a  conversation  with 
the  doctor. 

"These  scoundrels  have  no  doubt  carried  us  off  either  for 
the  purpose  of  getting  a  ransom  for  us  or  of  handing  us  over 
to  the  Turks  as  an  acceptable  present.  I  expect  the  idea  of 
ransom  is  at  the  bottom  of  it.  We  have  heard  of  this  fellow 
Rhangos  before.  He  is  a  noted  klepht,  and  more  Albanian 
than  Greek.  Whatever  you  do,  Horace,  don't  you  let  out  you 
are  the  owner's  son.  If  you  do  there  is  no  saying  how  much 
ransom  they  might  ask  for  you.  They  think  that  an  English- 
man who  fits  out  a  ship  at  his  own  expense  to  come  out  here 
must  be  rolling  in  money.  As  long  as  they  think  that  they 
have  only  got  hold  of  a  doctor  and  a  third  lieutenant  they 
cannot  ask  a  high  price  for  them,  but  for  an  owner's  son 
there  is  no  saying  what  figure  they  might  put  him  at.  Have 
you  got  a  second  name?  " 

"Yes,  I  am  Horace  Hendon  Beveridge.  Hendon  was  my 
mother's  name." 

"That  is  lucky;  you  can  give  them  Horace  Hendon.  It  is 
likely  they  may  know  your  father's  name,  for  the  Misericordia 
and  her  doings  have  been  a  good  deal  talked  about.  I  am 
not  in  favour  of  anyone  telling  a  lie,  Horace,  but  as  it  is  no 


PRISONERS  335 

lie  to  give  your  two  first  names  without  giving  your  third,  I 
cannot  see  that  there  is  harm  in  it." 

"The  ship  belongs  to  the  Lord  Beveridge?  "  Rhangos  asked 
next. 

"Yes,  that  is  his  name,"  Horace  replied. 

"What  is  your  name  and  that  of  your  companion?  " 

Horace  gave  his  two  Christian  names  and  the  name  of  his 
companion. 

"Have  you  paper?  "  the  klepht  said. 

"I  have  a  note -book  in  my  pocket." 

"That  will  do.  Now  write  in  Greek:  My  Lord  Beveridge, 
This  is  to  give  you  notice  that — now  write  the  two  names  " — 
" '  Donald  Macfarlane  and  Horace  Hendon, '  "  Horace  repeated 
as  he  wrote  them,  "  surgeon  and  third  lieutenant  of  your  ship, 
are  captives  in  my  hands,  and  that  unless  three  hundred 
pounds  in  gold  are  paid  to  me  as  ransom  for  them  they  will 
be  put  to  death.  If  there  is  any  attempt  to  rescue  the  pris- 
oners they  will  at  once  be  shot.  The  messenger  will  arrange 
with  you  how  and  where  the  ransom  is  to  be  paid." 

The  klepht  added  his  own  name  in  scrawling  characters  at 
the  bottom  of  the  note,  then  called  one  of  the  men  and  gave 
him  instructions  as  to  where  and  how  the  ransom  was  to  be 
paid,  and  then  sent  him  off.  As  soon  as  the  band  had  satis- 
fied their  hunger  the  march  among  the  mountains  was  con- 
tinued for  another  two  hours.  Then  they  threw  themselves 
down  by  the  side  of  a  stream  in  a  valley  surrounded  on  all 
sides  with  craggy  hills,  and  two  men  with  muskets  were  placed 
as  sentries  over  the  prisoners. 

"Well,  this  is  not  so  bad,"  Horace  said.  "It  is  certainly 
very  lucky  you  gave  me  that  hint  about  my  name.  Three 
hundred  is  not  very  much  to  pay  to  get  out  of  such  a  scrape 
as  this.  I  suppose  there  is  no  fear  about  their  giving  us  up 
when  they  get  the  money." 

"  I  think  not,"  the  doctor  replied.  "They  would  never  get 
ransoms  if  they  did  not  keep  their  word.  I  only  hope  that 
no  one  may  let  out  before  the  messenger  who  you  are.  If 
they  do,  there  will  be  a  very  serious  rise  in  prices." 


336  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

"  Fortunately  none  of  them  speak  Greek  but  my  father,  and 
probably  he  would  read  the  note  before  he  would  ask  any 
questions." 

"Maybe  yes,  and  maybe  no,"  the  doctor  said.  "He  is  as 
like  as  not  to  say  when  he  sees  a  messenger,  'Is  my  son  alive 
and  well?  '  and  then  the  cat  would  be  out  of  the  bag.  Still, 
your  father  is  a  prudent  man,  and  may  keep  a  still  tongue  in 
his  head,  especially  when  he  sees  that  the  note  is  in  your  own 
handwriting.     However,  we  will  hope  for  the  best." 

Morning  had  dawned  some  time  before  there  was  any 
movement  among  the  band.  Then  their  fires  were  lighted 
and  breakfast  cooked. 

"Will  the  English  lord  pay  the  ransom  for  you,  do  you 
think?"  Rhangos  asked,  sauntering  up  to  Horace. 

Horace  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  It  is  a  large  sum  to  pay  for  two  officers,"  he  said. 

"He  is  rich,  it  is  nothing  to  him." 

"He  is  well  off,  no  doubt,"  Horace  said;  "but  it  is  not 
everyone  who  is  well  off  who  is  disposed  to  part  with  money 
for  other  people." 

"Well,  it  will  be  bad  for  you  if  he  doesn't  pay,"  the  klepht 
said  significantly. 

Three  hours  later  the  messenger  was  seen  coming  up  the 
valley.  Horace  looked  at  him  anxiously  as  he  approached, 
and  was  pleased  to  see  that,  as  he  spoke  to  Rhangos,  there  was 
no  expression  of  surprise  or  exultation  in  the  latter's  face. 
He  nodded  when  the  other  had  finished,  and  then  went  to  the 
fire  where  two  or  three  of  his  lieutenants  were  sitting,  saying 
briefly  to  Horace  as  he  passed  him,  "He  will  pay."  Horace 
could  hear  what  he  said  to  the  others. 

"  Demetri  says  the  Englishman  did  not  like  paying  the 
money.  There  was  a  good  deal  of  talk  between  him  and  his 
officers  before  he  came  back  to  him  and  said,  that  though  the 
demand  was  extortionate  he  would  pay  it.  He  said  he  should 
complain  to  the  central  government,  and  should  expect  them 
to  refund  it  and  settle  with  you."  There  was  a  general  laugh 
among  his  hearers. 


PRISONERS  337 

"I  ought  to  have  asked  more,"  the  klepht  went  on;  "but  I 
don't  know  these  English.  Of  course  if  any  of  you  were  taken, 
my  dear  friends,  I  would  give  all  I  have  to  ransom  you." 
The  assertion  was  received  with  mocking  laughter,  as  he  went 
on  calmly :  "  But  you  see  other  people  are  not  animated  by 
the  same  generous  feeling  as  we  Greeks,  and  I  don't  suppose 
this  milord  sets  any  particular  value  on  the  lad,  or  on  that 
long-shanked  doctor.  He  can  hire  more  of  them,  and  I 
expect  he  only  agreed  to  pay  the  money  because  his  other 
officers  insisted  on  it.  They  are  rolling  in  wealth  these  Eng- 
lish, but  they  are  mean;  if  not,  how  is  it  that  our  pockets  are 
not  filled  with  English  gold  when  we  are  fighting  for  a  sacred 
cause?  " 

His  hearers  were  highly  tickled  by  this  sentiment. 

"When  are  they  to  be  delivered  up,  Rhangos?  " 

"  At  mid-day  to-morrow  at  Pales,  the  village  halfway  between 
the  foot  of  the  hills  and  the  sea.  Four  men  are  to  take  them 
down  to  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  village;  then 
Demetri  will  go  in  and  get  the  gold;  then  when  he  returns 
with  it  to  the  others  the  prisoners  will  be  freed." 

"  I  should  have  thought  the  matter  might  have  been  arranged 
to-day,"  one  of  the  men  said. 

"So  it  might  have  been,"  the  klepht  replied;  "but  I  could 
not  tell  that.  I  thought  that  Demetri  would  not  be  able  to  go 
off  to  the  ship  this  morning.  He  had  six  hours'  walking,  and 
would  not  be  there  until  two  hours  past  midnight;  then  he 
would  have  to  rest  for  an  hour  or  two  after  he  had  seen  them, 
and  then  six  hours  to  walk  back.  It  would  have  been  too  late 
to  deliver  them  up  before  dark,  and  I  should  never  think  of 
sending  them  in  the  dark — their  guards  might  fall  into  an 
ambush.  As  it  was,  Demetri  found  them  in  the  village. 
They  had  not  returned,  as  I  thought  they  would  do,  on  board 
their  ship.  He  walked  in,  thinking  the  place  was  empty, 
when  two  of  those  sailors  jumped  out  on  him  with  cutlasses. 
Thinking  that  they  were  going  to  cut  his  throat  he  showed 
them  the  letter.     They  led  him  to  the  principal  house  in  the 


338  IN   GREEK    WATERS 

village,  and  one  went  in  while  another  held  him  fast  outside. 
He  heard  a  great  talking  and  excitement  in  the  house,  and 
presently  he  was  taken  in.  Then,  as  I  told  you,  there  was  a 
great  talk,  and  at  last  they  agreed  to  pay  the  ransom.  As 
soon  as  he  got  his  answer  he  started  on  his  way  back,  lay  down 
for  an  hour  or  two  in  an  empty  cottage,  and  then  came  on 
here.  We  will  stay  where  we  are  until  to-morrow  morning; 
then,  Kornalis,  you  shall  start  with  four  men,  and  Demetri 
and  the  captives,  and  we  will  go  on  our  way.  We  will  deal 
another  blow  to  Vriones,  and  then  we  will  be  off.  We  will 
fix  on  some  place  where  you  can  join  us  after  you  have  got 
the  ransom." 

"  It  could  not  have  happened  better  for  us,"  Horace  said  to 
his  companion  after  he  had  translated  the  klepht's  story. 
"As  it  turned  out,  you  see,  my  father  got  the  note  before  he 
could  say  a  word  to  the  messenger.  That  was  a  capital  move 
their  pretending  to  hesitate  about  paying  the  ransom.  If 
they  had  jumped  at  it  this  scoundrel  is  perfectly  capable  of 
raising  his  terms.  As  it  is,  he  thinks  he  was  clever  enough  to 
hit  upon  just  the  maximum  sum  that  could  be  got  for  us. 
Well,  it  is  all  right  now." 

"  It  will  be  all  right  when  we  are  among  the  others,  Horace; 
there  is  never  any  saying  what  may  happen  in  this  country. 
Some  of  the  peasants  these  fellows  have  been  robbing  may  fall 
on  us,  seeing  we  are  but  a  small  party.  This  Vriones  with 
his  bandits,  who  I  daresay  are  just  as  bad  as  these  fellows, 
may  happen  to  meet  us.  No,  we  won't  calculate  too  confi- 
dently. Things  have  gone  on  very  well  so  far.  We  will  just 
hope  they  will  go  on  to  the  end." 

Now  that  the  affair  was  considered  to  be  settled,  but  little 
attention  was  paid  to  the  prisoners.  Their  cords  were  taken 
off,  and  they  were  permitted  to  move  about,  two  men  keep- 
ing an  eye  upon  them,  but  not  following  them  closely.  They 
congratulated  themselves  that  the  sailors  had  withheld  their 
fire,  for  undoubtedly  their  position  would  have  been  very 
different  had  some  of  the  brigands  been  killed.     So  far  from 


PRISONERS  339 

bearing  any  animosity  now,  the  men  chatted  with  them  in  a 
friendly  manner,  asked  questions  about  their  ship,  and  their 
encounters  with  the  Turks. 

"We  would  rather  fight  for  the  Greeks  than  the  Turks," 
one  said:  "but  we  follow  our  captains.  There  is  neither  pay 
nor  plunder  to  be  obtained  with  the  Greeks;  and  as  Odysseus 
and  all  the  other  chiefs  play  their  own  game,  and  think  only 
of  making  money,  why  should  poor  devils  like  us  be  particu- 
lar? All  Albanian  tribes  have  had  their  wars  against  each 
other  as  long  as  we  or  our  fathers  can  remember.  We  know 
nothing  about  the  Greece  that  they  talk  so  much  of  now. 
There  were  the  Morea  and  other  provinces,  and  so  there  have 
always  been  so  far  as  we  know,  and  it  is  nothing  to  us  whether 
they  are  ruled  by  Turks  or  by  their  own  captains.  As  to  relig- 
ion, many  of  our  tribes  are  Mussulmans,  many  are  Chris- 
tians.    We  do  not  see  that  it  makes  any  difference. 

"  Everyone  plunders  when  he  gets  a  chance.  Why  should 
I  want  to  cut  a  man's  throat  because  he  is  a  Mussulman?  His 
father  was  a  Christian  before  him;  my  son  may  be  a  Mussul- 
man after  me.  What  does  it  matter?  Since  the  fight  at 
Petta  many  chiefs  have  gone  over  to  the  Turks,  and  if  the 
Greeks  win  a  battle  most  of  them  will  go  back  again.  The 
affair  is  nothing  to  us.  On  the  mountains  we  hunt  where  we 
are  most  likely  to  get  game.  You  like  to  hunt  for  amusement, 
and  so  you  have  come  out  here  on  a  matter  which  does  not 
at  all  concern  you.  We  hunt  to  live,  and  don't  much  care 
whether  we  take  a  sheep  out  of  one  flock  or  another." 

Horace  smiled  at  the  man's  avowal  of  the  want  of  any  prin- 
ciple whatever. 

"  I  was  a  schoolmaster,"  one  of  the  lieutenants  of  the  band, 
who  was  stretched  at  full  length  smoking  and  listening  to  the 
conversation,  remarked.  "  I  know  about  the  old  time,  but  I 
don't  know  anything  of  this  Greece  you  speak  of.  Where 
was  it?  What  did  it  do?  It  was  just  then  as  it  is  now. 
There  were  a  number  of  little  tribes  under  their  own  captains. 
Athens,  and  Corinth,  and  Sparta,  and  Argos,  and  Thebes,  and 


340  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

the  rest  of  them  always  fighting  against  each  other  just  as  our 
Albanian  clans  do;  not  even  ready  to  put  aside  their  own 
quarrels  to  fight  against  an  invader.  Pooh  !  There  never  was 
a  Greece,  and  I  neither  know  nor  care  whether  there  ever  will 
be.     Why  should  we  throw  away  our  lives  for  a  dream?  " 

"Yes;  but  at  any  rate  the  Greeks  have  a  common  language, 
which  shows  they  are  one  people." 

"Families  fall  out  more  than  strangers,"  the  man  replied 
with  a  laugh.  "  You  English  and  the  Americans  have  a  common 
language,  and  yet  you  have  been  fighting  against  each  other, 
and  they  refuse  to  remain  one  nation  with  you.  These  things 
signify  no  more  than  the  smoke  of  my  pipe.  A  Christian's 
money,  and  a  Christian's  goods  and  cattle,  are  worth  just  as 
much  to  me  as  a  Turk's;  and  my  captain,  who  pays  me,  is 
more  to  me  than  either  Mavrocordatos  or  the  Sultan.  I  dare- 
say that  English  milord  is  a  worthy  man,-  though  he  must  be  a 
fool,  and  yet  the  wine  I  shall  buy  out  of  my  share  of  his  money 
will  be  just  as  good  as  if  it  had  grown  in  my  father's  vineyard." 

Horace  laughed.  He  was  not  skilled  in  argument,  even 
had  he  any  inclination  to  indulge  in  it  at  the  present  time; 
and  he  sauntered  off  and  sat  down  by  the  doctor,  who,  not 
beinp  able  to  talk  with  the  Greeks,  found  the  time  hang  heavy 
on  hand.  Horace  repeated  to  him  his  conversation  with  the 
two  brigands. 

"  I  own  I  did  not  know  how  to  answer  the  last  fellow, 
doctor." 

"  There  is  no  answer  to  be  made,  Horace.  To  argue,  men 
must  have  a  common  ground  to  start  from.  There  is  no 
common  ground  between  you  and  him.  His  argument  is  the 
argument  of  the  materialist  everywhere,  whether  he  is  Briton, 
Frenchman,  or  Greek.  To  a  man  who  has  neither  religion 
nor  principles  there  remains  only  self-interest,  and  from  that 
point  of  view  there  is  no  gainsaying  the  arguments  of  that 
Albanian  scamp  any  more  than  it  would  have  been  of  use  for 
a  lowland  merchant  carried  off  by  Highland  caterans  to  urge 
upon  them  that  their  conduct  was  contrary  to  the  laws  both 


PRISONERS  341 

of  morality  and  political  economy-  They  would  have  said 
that  they  knew  nothing  about  either,  and  cared  less,  and  that 
unless  his  goodwife  or  fellow  citizens  put  their  hands  in  their 
pockets  and  sent  the  ransom  they  demanded,  his  head  would 
be  despatched  to  them  in  a  hamper  with  small  delay.  He 
certainly  had  you  on  the  hip  with  what  he  said  about  ancient 
Greece,  for  a  more  quarrelsome,  cantankerous,  waspish  set  of 
little  communities  the  world  never  saw,  unless  it  were  the 
cities  of  Italy  in  the  middle  ages,  which  at  any  rate  were  of  a 
respectable  size,  which  was,  by  the  way,  the  only  respectable 
thing  about  them.  Religion  and  principle  and  patriotism  are 
the  three  things  that  keep  men  and  nations  straight,  and 
neither  the  Greek  nor  Italian  communities  had  the  least 
glimmering  of  an  idea  of  either  of  them,  except  a  love  for 
their  own  petty  states  may  be  called  patriotism." 

"A  good  deal  like  your  Highland  clansmen,  I  should  say, 
doctor,"  Horace  laughed.  "The  head  of  the  clan  was  a  much 
greater  man  in  the  eyes  of  his  followers  than  the  King  of 
Scotland." 

"That  is  so,  Horace;  and  the  consequence  was,  that  while 
there  was  peace  and  order  and  prosperity  in  the  lowlands,  the 
Highlands  scarcely  made  a  step  forward  until  the  clans  were 
pretty  well  broken  up  after  Culloden.  It  was  a  sore  business 
at  the  time,  but  no  one  can  doubt  that  it  did  good  in  the  long 
run.  And  now,  lad,  I  think  that  I  will  just  take  a  sleep.  It 
was  not  many  hours  we  got  of  it  last  night,  and  you  see  most 
of  these  fellows  have  set  us  an  example." 

The  next  morning  they  started  at  daybreak.  The  main 
body  of  the  band  had  moved  off  hours  before,  leaving  the 
Lieutenant  Kornalis,  Demetri,  and  four  of  the  men.  Three 
hours'  walking  took  them  out  of  the  mountains.  There  was 
little  talking.  The  Greeks  would  have  preferred  going  with 
their  leader  to  plunder  another  village,  for  although  the  booty 
taken  was  supposed  to  be  all  handed  over  to  the  chief  for  fair 
distribution,  there  were  few  who  did  not  conceal  some  trinket 
or  money  as  their  own  special  share  of  the  plunder.     They 


342  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

were  but  a  mile  or  two  beyond  the  hills,  when,  from  a  wood 
skirting  the  road,  four  or  five  shots  rang  out. 

Two  of  the  Greeks  fell;  the  rest,  throwing  away  their  guns, 
fled  at  the  top  of  their  speed.  Before  the  prisoners  had  time 
to  recover  from  their  surprise  a  number  of  men  rushed  out, 
and  with  the  butts  of  their  muskets  and  pistols  struck  them  to 
the  ground.  When  they  recovered  their  senses  a  group  of 
men  were  standing  round  them,  while  at  some  little  distance 
they  could  hear  the  sound  of  firing,  showing  that  the  pursuit  of 
their  late  captors  was  being  closely  maintained.  By  this  time 
they  had  become  sufficiently  accustomed  to  the  various  cos- 
tumes to  know  that  they  had  now  fallen  into  the  hands  of  men 
of  one  of  the  Albanian  tribes,  probably  Mussulmans  acting  as 
irregulars  with  the  Turkish  army,  engaged  upon  a  raiding 
expedition.  One  of  them  asked  Horace  a  question,  but  the 
dialect  was  so  different  to  that  of  the  Greeks  of  Athens  and 
the  Morea  that  he  was  unable  to  understand  it.  Presently  the 
men  who  had  gone  in  pursuit  returned,  and  the  whole  party 
set  off  to  the  north,  placing  their  prisoners  in  their  midst,  and 
warning  them  by  pointing  significantly  to  their  knives  and 
pistols  that  they  had  better  keep  up  with  them. 

"Eh!  man,"  the  doctor  said;  "but  it  is  dreadful.  Just  as 
we  thought  that  everything  was  settled,  and  that  in  another 
couple  of  hours  we  should  be  with  our  own  people,  here  we 
are  in  the  hands  of  a  pack  of  villains  even  worse  than  the 
others." 

"  You  said  that  we  should  not  shout  until  we  were  out  of  the 
wood,  doctor,  and  you  have  turned  out  a  true  prophet ;  but  at 
present  I  am  thinking  more  of  my  head  than  of  anything  else, 
I  am  sure  I  have  got  a  couple  of  lumps  on  it  as  big  as  eggs." 

"  It  shows  the  folly  of  man,"  the  doctor  said  philosophically. 
"  What  good  could  they  expect  to  get  from  knocking  us  down? 
We  were  neither  fighting  nor  running  away.  We  had  not  our 
wits  about  us,  lad,  or  we  should  have  just  taken  to  our  heels." 

"  I  expect  they  would  have  caught  us  if  we  had.  We  have 
neither  of  us  had  much  walking  lately,  and  those  fellows  are 


PRISONERS  0-43 

always  climbing  among  their  mountains.  Do  you  think  it  is 
of  any  use  trying  to  make  them  understand  that  if  they  will 
take  us  a  few  miles  farther  they  will  find  three  hundred  pounds 
waiting  for  them?  " 

"You  might  try,  Horace;  but  I  don't  think  that  it  will  be 
of  any  use.  I  expect  they  are  just  skirting  along  at  the  foot 
of  the  hills  to  see  what  they  can  pick  up.  There  are  not 
above  thirty  of  them,  and  they  would  not  like  to  go  far  out 
upon  the  plains;  besides,  I  don't  know  that  it  would  turn  out 
well.  If  they  were  to  go  on  in  a  body,  Martyn  would  as  likely 
as  not  fire  at  them,  and  then  they  would  think  that  we  had  led 
them  into  an  ambush,  and  shoot  us  without  waiting  to  ask  any 
question.  Still,  you  can  try  if  you  like;  we  might  be  sorry 
afterwards  if  we  didn't." 

But  when  Horace  tried  to  speak  to  the  men  he  was  threat- 
ened roughly,  and  he  lapsed  into  silence.  For  three  hours 
they  ascended  a  great  range  of  hills  running  east  and  west. 
AYhen  they  gained  the  crest  they  could  see  stretched  away  far 
in  front  of  them  a  flat  and  fertile  country. 

"The  plains  of  Thessaly,"  the  doctor  said;  "the  fairest  and 
richest  portion  of  the  Greece  of  old.  There  is  little  chance 
of  its  forming  part  of  the  Greece  of  the  future,  at  least  not 
until  a  complete  overthrow  of  the  Turkish  Empire.  If  Greece 
attains  her  independence  the  frontier  line  will  be  somewhere 
along  the  crest  of  these  hills,  for  Thessaly,  although  there  was 
some  slight  trouble  there  at  first,  has  not  joined  the  move- 
ment. There  are  no  mountains  and  fortresses  where  they  can 
take  refuge,  and  a  troop  of  Turkish  cavalry  could  scour  the 
whole  country.  There  is  where  we  are  bound  for,  I  expect ;  " 
and  he  pointed  to  a  large  clump  of  white  tents  far  out  on  the 
plain.  "  I  expect  that  is  the  camp  of  the  Pasha  of  the  prov- 
ince. I  suppose  he  is  going  to  operate  on  this  side  when  the 
main  force  advances  to  the  west." 

It  took  them  another  four  hours'  walking  before  they  ap- 
proached the  camp.  When  within  a  short  distance  of  it  their 
captors  turned  off  and  entered  a  village  where  numbers  of 


344  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

their  countrymen  were  sitting  in  the  shade  smoking  or  dozing. 
The  band  went  on  until  they  reached  the  principal  house  in 
the  village,  and  four  of  them  entering  took  their  prisoners 
into  a  room  where  a  tall  old  chief  was  sitting  on  a  divan. 
They  talked  for  some  minutes,  evidently  explaining  the  cir- 
cumstances of  their  capture.  When  they  had  done,  the  chief 
asked  the  prisoners  in  Greek  who  they  were. 

"We  are  Englishmen,''  Horace  replied;  "we  belong  to  a 
ship  lying  off  a  village  whose  name  I  don't  know.  We  had 
landed  to  buy  fruit  and  vegetables,  and  then  we  were  suddenly 
seized  and  carried  away  to  the  mountains  by  some  Greek 
brigands  led  by  a  fellow  named  Rhangos.  We  had  arranged 
for  a  ransom  and  were  on  our  way  under  a  guard  to  the  village 
where  the  money  was  to  be  paid  when  your  band  put  the 
Greeks  to  flight  and  made  us  prisoners." 

"  How  much  ransom  was  to  be  paid?  "  the  Albanian  asked. 

"Three  hundred  pounds,  and  if  you  will  send  us  there  now 
our  friends  will  be  glad  to  pay  it  to  your  people.  I  tried  to 
explain  that  to  them  on  the  way,  but  they  would  not  listen  to 
me." 

"They  are  fools,"  the  chief  said  decidedly;  "and  besides, 
they  don't  speak  Greek.  It  is  too  late  now.  I  must  take  you 
to  the  Pasha,  who  will  deal  with  you  as  he  chooses."  Then 
rising,  and  followed  by  a  group  of  his  officers  and  the  pris- 
oners in  charge  of  four  men,  he  walked  across  to  the  Turkish 
camp.  » 

" They  are  a  picturesque-looking  set  of  cut-throats,"  Mac- 
farlane  said. 

"That  they  are.  People  at  home  would  stare  to  see  them 
with  their  white  kilted  petticoats  and  gaudy  sashes,  with  their 
pistols  inlaid  with  silver,  and  their  embroidered  jackets  and 
white  shirt  sleeves.  Well,  what  are  we  to  say  if  we  are  asked 
about  the  ship?" 

"We  must  tell  the  truth,  lad;  I  doubt  not  they  have  had 
news  before  now  that  the  schooner  is  cruising  about  on  the 
coast;  and  even  if  we  were  disposed  to  tell  a  lie,  which  we 


PRISONERS  345 

are  not,  they  would  guess  where  we  had  come  from.  No 
English  merchantman  would  be  likely  to  be  anchored  off  the 
coast  here  to  buy  vegetables;  and,  indeed,  there  are  very  few 
British  vessels  of  any  sort  in  these  waters  now.  You  need  not 
just  tell  them  that  the  schooner  is  the  craft  that  has  been  play- 
ing the  mischief  over  on  the  other  coast  and  robbed  them  of 
their  Chiot  slaves;  nor  is  it  precisely  necessary  to  enter  into 
that  affair  near  Cyprus.  We  need  simply  say,  if  we  are  asked, 
that  we  are  Englishmen  in  the  naval  service  of  Greece;  I 
don't  expect  they  will  ask  many  questions  after  that,  or  that 
we  shall  have  any  occasion  to  do  much  more  talking." 

"You  think  they  will  hang  us,  doctor." 

"  It  may  be  hanging,  Horace,  or  it  may  be  shooting,  and 
for  my  part  I  am  not  very  particular  which  it  is.  Shooting  is 
the  quickest,  but  then  hanging  is  more  what  I  may  call  my 
family  way  of  dying.  I  should  say  that  as  many  as  a  score  of 
my  ancestors  were  one  way  or  another  strung  up  by  the  Stuarts 
on  one  miserable  pretence  or  other,  such  as  cattle-lifting, 
settling  a  grudge  without  bothering  the  law-courts,  and  trifles 
of  that  sort." 

Horace  burst  into  a  fit  of  laughter,  which  caused  the  Alba- 
nian chief  to  look  round  sharply  and  inquiringly. 

"  It  is  all  right,  old  chap,"  Macfarlane  muttered  in  English; 
"we  are  just  laughing  while  we  can,  and  there  is  no  contempt 
of  court  intended." 

The  Pasha  was  in  a  tent  considerably  larger  than  those  that 
surrounded  it.  The  Albanian  went  in,  leaving  the  prisoners 
in  charge  of  their  guard.  In  five  minutes  he  came  out  and 
signed  to  them  to  follow  him  in.  The  Pasha  was  an  elderly 
man  with  a  snow-white  beard.  He  looked  at  the  prisoners 
with  some  interest. 

"I  hear  that  you  are  Englishmen,"  he  said  in  Greek. 

"That  is  so,  sir." 

"And  that  you  are  in  the  Greek  service." 

"We  were  in  the  Greek  service,  but  after  being  carried  off 
by  Greek  brigands  1  do  not  know  that  we  shall  have  any 
inclination  to  remain  in  it." 


340  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

"  If  you  had  been  taken  fighting  against  us  I  should  have 
ordered  you  to  be  shot,"  the  Pasha  said ;  "  but  as  it  is  I  do 
not  know.  Do  you  belong  to  that  schooner  with  white  sails 
that  has  been  cruising  off  the  coast  some  days?  " 

"We  do,"  Horace  admitted. 

"  I  am  told,"  the  Pasha  went  on,  "that  she  is  the  ship  that 
did  us  much  harm  at  Chios." 

"We  were  attacked,  and  we  beat  off  the  boats,"  Horace 
said.  "That  is  fair  warfare.  Our  principal  object  has  been 
to  rescue  people  in  danger  or  distress,  whether  Christian  or 
Turk.  We  rescued  numbers  of  Chiot  slaves.  And  on  the 
other  hand  we  saved  numbers  of  Turks  at  the  surrender  of  the 
Acropolis  at  Athens,  and  conveyed  them  safely  to  Tenedos, 
where  we  landed  them  ;  and  the  governor  there  recognized 
our  service  to  his  countrymen,  and  came  off  to  the  ship  and 
invited  us  on  shore  to  dine  with  him." 

"  Yes,  I  have  heard  about  that,"  the  Pasha  said.  "  We 
have  all  heard  of  the  white  schooner.  She  has  been  a  dan- 
gerous enemy  to  us,  and  has  done  us  more  harm  than  the 
whole  of  the  Greeks  together ;  but  after  your  humanity  at 
Athens  I  cannot  feel  animosity  against  you.  It  was  a  noble 
deed  and  worthy  of  brave  men.  Thus  it  is  that  nations  should 
fight,  but  the  Greeks  began  by  massacre,  and  have  been  false 
to  the  oaths  they  swore  twenty  times.  How  can  you  fight  for 
men  who  have  neither  courage  nor  faith,  and  who  are  as  cruel 
as  they  are  cowardly?  " 

"There  have  been  cruelties  on  both  sides,"  Horace  said, 
"  though  I  own  that  the  Greeks  began  it ;  but  in  England  we 
love  freedom,  and  it  is  not  long  since  we  drove  the  French 
out  of  Egypt  and  preserved  it  for  you.  Our  sympathies  are 
with  the  Greeks,  because  they  were  oppressed.  We  have  never 
killed  a  Turk  save  in  fair  fight,  and  the  crews  of  every  ship 
we  have  taken  we  have  permitted  to  return  to  shore  in  their 
boats  without  injuring  one  of  them." 

"This  also  I  have  heard,"  the  Pasha  said,  "and  therefore  I 
will  do  you  no   harm.      I  will  send  you   to  Constantinople, 


PRISONERS  347 

where  the  Sultan  will  decide  upon  your  fate.  He  has  given 
orders  that  all  foreigners  taken  in  arms  against  us  shall  at 
once  be  put  to  death  for  interfering  in  a  matter  in  which  they 
have  no  concern;  but  as  you  were  not  taken  in  arms  I  do  not 
feel  that  the  order  applies  to  you,  and  will  therefore  take  upon 
myself  to  send  you  to  him." 

"  I  thank  you,  sir,"  Horace  said,  "though  I  fear  it  will  only 
be  a  reprieve." 

"  I  cannot  say,"  the  pasha  replied  gravely.  "The  Sultan 
strikes  hard  when  he  wishes  to  give  a  lesson.  You  see,  his 
people  were  massacred  wholesale  by  the  Greeks,  and  at  Chios 
he  taught  them  that  he  could  retaliate;  but  he  is  not  cruel  by 
choice.  He  is  unswerving  when  his  mind  is  made  up. 
Whether  he  will  make  an  exception  in  your  case  or  not  is 
more  than  I  can  say.  I  can  only  send  you  to  him,  and  hope 
that  he  will  be  as  merciful  in  your  case  as  I  would  be  had  I 
the  power." 

Then  he  ordered  one  of  his  officers  to  take  charge  of  the 
prisoners,  to  see  that  they  had  a  comfortable  tent  and  were 
well  cared  for,  and  that  none  molested  them.  Four  soldiers 
were  to  be  always  on  guard  at  the  tent,  and  to  answer  for  the 
safety  of  the  prisoners  with  their  lives.  In  a  short  time  they 
were  placed  in  a  tent  among  those  allotted  to  the  officers,  and 
four  sentries  were  placed  round  it.  After  sunset  two  soldiers 
brought  large  trays  with  meat,  vegetables,  and  sweets  from  the 
pasha's  own  table,  and  also  a  bottle  of  raki. 

"The  Turk  is  a  gentleman,  Horace,"  the  doctor  said  as, 
after  having  finished  dinner,  he  mixed  himself  some  spirits 
and  water.  "  I  am  not  saying,  mind  you,  that  I  would  not 
have  mightily  preferred  a  bottle  of  good  whisky;  but  I  am 
bound  to  say  that  when  one  has  once  got  accustomed  to  it, 
raki  has  its  virtues.  It  is  an  insinuating  spirit,  cool  and  mild 
to  the  taste,  and  dangerous  to  one  who  is  not  accustomed  to 
it.      What  do  you  think  of  it,  Horace?" 

"  1  don't  care  for  it,  but  then  I  don't  care  for  any  spirits," 
Horace  said;  "but  I  thoroughly  agree  with  you  that  the  pasha 


348  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

is  a  good  fellow,  only  I  wish  he  could  have  seen  his  way  to 
have  let  us  go.  The  Sultan  is  a  terrible  personage,  and  the 
way  he  has  hung  up  hostages  at  Constantinople  has  been  awful. 
If  he  has  made  up  his  mind  that  he  will  deter  foreigners  from 
entering  the  Greek  service  by  showing  no  mercy  to  those  who 
fall  into  his  hands,  I  have  no  very  great  hope  that  he  will  make 
any  exception  in  our  case." 


CHAPTER   XX 


AT    CONSTANTINOPLE 


UPON  the  following  morning  horses  were  brought  round  and 
they  were  ordered  to  mount.  An  officer  with  twelve 
Turkish  troopers  took  charge  of  them.  The  pasha  came  out 
from  his  tent. 

"I  am  sending  a  letter  to  the  Porte  saying  what  I  know  of 
the  doings  of  your  ship,  and  of  the  service  you  rendered  by 
saving  our  countrymen  at  Athens.  I  have  also  given  direc- 
tions that  the  vessel  conveying  you  shall  touch  at  Tenedos, 
and  have  written  to  the  governor  there  asking  him  also  to  send 
on  a  letter  in  your  favour." 

After  an  hour's  riding  they  reached  the  town  of  Larissa, 
and  then  followed  the  river  on  which  it  stands  down  to  the 
sea. 

"What  a  lovely  country!  "  Horace  exclaimed  as  he  looked 
at  the  mountains  to  the  right  and  left. 

"We  are  travelling  on  classical  ground,"  the  doctor  replied. 
"This  is  the  vale  of  Tempe,  that  hill  to  the  right  is  Mount 
Ossa,  that  to  the  left  is  Mount  Olympus." 

"They  are  grand,"  Horace  said,  "though  I  should  certainly 
enjoy  them  more  under  other  circumstances.  Fancy  that 
being  the  hill  that  Jove  used  to  sit  on.  It  would  be  a  grand 
place  to  climb,  wouldn't  it?" 


AT   CONSTANTINOPLE  349 

"  I  should  be  quite  content  to  look  at  it  comfortably  from 
the  deck  of  the  schooner,  Horace,  and  should  have  no  desire 
whatever  to  scale  it." 

"Where  is  the  schooner  now,  do  you  think,  doctor?" 

"Where  we  left  her.  They  would  wait  at  the  village  where 
they  expected  us  to  be  handed  over  to  them  till  late  in  the 
afternoon,  and  then  most  likely  march  back  to  the  shore. 
This  morning  they  will  be  trying  to  get  news  of  us.  It  is 
possible  that  one  of  the  Greeks  has  taken  down  the  news  of 
our  capture  by  the  Turks,  in  hopes  of  getting  a  reward.  He 
would  not  know  whether  we  were  killed  or  captured — they 
bolted  too  fast  for  that;  but  if  a  fellow  does  take  news  of  the 
fight  he  will  probably  offer  to  show  the  spot.  Martyn  will 
take  out  a  strong  party,  and  when  he  finds  the  bodies  of  the 
two  Greeks  and  no  signs  of  us,  he  will  arrive  at  the  conclusion 
that  we  have  been  carried  off.  The  Greeks  probably  recog- 
nized the  men  who  attacked  them  as  being  a  band  of  Alba- 
nians. The  white  petticoats  alone  would  tell  them  that;  and 
as  the  Christian  Albanians  would  certainly  not  be  likely  to  be 
plundering  on  this  side  at  the  present  time,  they  will  be  sure 
they  are  Mohammedans  either  raiding  on  their  own  account 
or  acting  with  the  Turkish  forces  in  Thessaly. 

"  No  doubt  they  will  offer  a  reward  for  news  of  us,  and  will 
probably  learn  from  some  peasant  or  other  that  a  party  of 
Albanians  crossed  the  range  into  Thessaly  about  mid-day. 
Then  when  they  hear  that  the  pasha's  force  was  lying  in  the 
plain,  not  far  from  the  foot  of  the  hills,  they  will  arrive  at  the 
truth  that  we  were  taken  there.  What  their  next  step  will  be 
I  cannot  say,  but  I  should  fancy  they  will  sail  round  the 
promontory  and  try  and  open  communication  with  some  small 
village,  and  get  someone  to  visit  the  camp  and  try  and  pick 
up  news  of  what  has  become  of  us.  It  must  be  days  before 
they  can  do  all  this,  and  by  the  time  they  find  we  have  been 
put  on  board  ship  we  shall  be  at  Constantinople. 

"At  any  rate,  Horace,  I  regard  the  idea  of  there  being  a 
chance  of  their  rescuing  us  as  out  of  the  question.     What  they 


350  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

will  do  is,  of  course,  beyond  guessing.  It  is  vexing  to  think 
that  if  they  did  but  know  at  the  present  moment  we  were 
being  put  on  board  ship,  they  might  cut  us  off  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Dardanelles.  It  is  little  farther  from  the  Gulf  of  Zeitouni 
than  it  is  from  the  mouth  of  this  river,  and  the  schooner 
would  probably  sail  twice  as  fast  as  any  craft  we  are  likely  to 
be  put  on  board.  It  is  annoying,  but  it  is  of  no  use  being 
annoyed.  They  don't  know  we  are  going  to  be  embarked,  and 
they  can't  learn  it  for  four  or  five  days  at  the  very  earliest,  so 
don't  let  us  worry  about  that.  We  have  reasonable  cause  for 
worry  in  knowing  that  we  are  going  to  be  taken  to  Constantino- 
ple, for  not  improbably  we  will  be  executed  when  we  get  there." 

"You  think  that  it  is  probable,  doctor?  " 

"  I  do,  indeed.  The  Sultan  is  not  the  man  to  stand  on 
niceties.  He  has  decided  not  to  give  quarter  to  foreigners 
who  fight  against  him,  and  as  a  matter  of  policy  he  is  perfectly 
right.  We  knew  all  along  what  our  fate  would  be  if  we  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  Turks.  We  have  done  them  an  immense 
amount  of  mischief :  we  have  destroyed  a  frigate  and  beaten 
off  their  boats;  we  have  taken  a  lot  of  prizes,  and  delivered 
some  two  or  three  thousand  valuable  slaves  from  their  hands. 
The  only  set-off  to  this  is  that  we  assisted  to  save  some  three 
hundred  Turkish  women  and  children,  as  to  whose  fate  the 
Sultan  was  probably  perfectly  indifferent.  The  balance  is 
very  heavy  against  us." 

Horace  could  not  but  admit  that  this  was  so,  but  in  this 
beautiful  valley,  and  with  Constantinople  still  in  the  distance, 
the  idea  that  ere  long  a  violent  death  might  befall  him  there 
was  not  sufficiently  vivid  to  depress  his  spirits  greatly. 

After  four  hours'  riding  they  came  down  upon  the  little  port 
at  the  mouth  of  the  river.  Two  or  three  craft  were  lying 
there  under  the  guns  of  the  battery. 

"That  is  our  vessel,  you  will  see,  Horace.  It  is  a  man-of- 
war  brig.  I  expect  she  is  placed  here  on  purpose  to  enable 
the  pasha  to  communicate  direct  with  Constantinople,  instead 
of  having  to  send  up  through  the  passes  to  Salonika." 


AT    CONSTANTINOPLE  351 

Leaving  the  prisoners  under  charge  of  the  guard,  the  officer 
took  a  boat  and  rowed  off  to  the  brig.  In  a  few  minutes  a 
large  boat  lying  beside  her  was  manned  by  a  dozen  sailors 
and  rowed  ashore.  The  officer  was  on  board  of  her.  Two  of 
the  men  who  had  brought  their  valises  strapped  behind  their 
saddles  had  already  removed  them,  and  stepped  into  the  boat 
forward,  while  their  comrades  took  charge  of  their  horses. 
The  officer  then  signed  to  Horace  and  the  doctor  to  step  on 
board,  and  they  were  rowed  out  to  the  brig.  Half  an  hour 
later  the  anchor  was  got  up,  the  sail  set,  and  the  vessel  left 
the  port. 

There  was  no  attempt  at  restraint  of  the  prisoners.  A 
young  lieutenant  who  spoke  Greek  informed  them,  in  the 
name  of  the  captain,  that  the  orders  of  the  pasha  were  that 
they  were  to  be  treated  as  ordinary  passengers,  and  he  requested 
them  to  take  their  meals  with  him  in  the  cabin.  They  would 
be  entirely  at  liberty,  except  that  they  would  not  be  allowed 
to  land  at  Tenedos,  or  at  any  other  port  at  which  the  vessel 
might  touch. 

The  brig  proved  a  fairly  fast  sailer;  the  wind  was  favour- 
able, and  late  on  the  afternoon  of  the  day  after  they  had  sailed 
they  dropped  anchor  off  Tenedos,  and  the  officer  in  charge  of 
the  captives  at  once  went  ashore  with  the  pasha's  letter  to  the 
governor.  He  returned  late  at  night,  after  the  prisoners  had 
turned  in  in  one  of  the  officers'  cabins  that  had  been  vacated 
for  their  use.  There  was  not  a  breath  of  wind  in  the  morning, 
and  the  captain  accordingly  did  not  attempt  to  weigh  anchor. 

"It  would  be  a  fine  thing  if  this  calm  would  last  for  a  fort- 
night," the  doctor  said  as  they  came  on  deck  in  the  morning. 

"  Yes,  but  there  is  no  chance  of  that,  doctor.  We  have 
never  had  a  dead  calm  for  more  than  three  days  since  we 
came  out." 

"  Well,  we  might  do  equally  well  with  a  light  breeze  from 
the  north.  That  would  help  the  schooner  across  the  gulf, 
and  at  the  same  time  would  not  enable  the  brig  to  work  up 
the  Dardanelles;  there  is  a  strongish  current  there.     Still,  I 


352  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

am  not  at  all  saying  it  is  likely;  I  only  say  that  I  wish  it  could 
be  so." 

When  the  officer  came  on  deck  he  informed  them,  through 
the  lieutenant,  that  the  governor  had  given  him  a  strong  letter 
to  the  Porte  speaking  in  the  highest  terms  of  the  humanity 
they  had  shown  towards  the  Turks  they  had  rescued  from 
Athens.  An  hour  later  two  or  three  boats  came  off.  Among 
those  on  board  them  were  several  women.  When  these  saw 
the  doctor  and  Horace  leaning  over  the  bulwark,  they  broke 
into  loud  cries  of  greeting. 

"  I  expect  they  are  some  of  those  poor  creatures  we  brought 
over,"  Horace  said.  "  I  don't  remember  their  faces,  we  have 
had  too  many  on  board  for  that,  and  I  don't  understand  what 
they  are  saying,  but  it  is  evidently  that." 

Some  of  the  boatmen  understood  both  Greek  and  Turkish, 
and  these  translated  the  expressions  of  the  women's  gratitude, 
and  their  regret  at  seeing  him  a  prisoner.  They  were  not 
allowed  to  set  foot  on  the  brig,  but  they  handed  up  baskets  of 
fruit  and  sweetmeats.  One  of  the  women  stood  up  in  the 
boat  and  in  Greek  said  in  low  tones  to  Horace,  as  he  leant 
over  the  rail : 

"There  are  but  few  of  us  here,  and  we  are  poor.  Our  hearts 
melted  this  morning  when  the  news  spread  that  you  were  pris- 
oners on  board  a  ship  on  her  way  to  Constantinople.  We  can 
do  nothing  but  pray  to  Allah  for  your  safety.  My  husband 
was  one  of  the  soldiers  you  brought  over,  the  one  who  had 
lost  his  arm,  and  who  was  tended  by  the  hakim.  As  he  was 
of  no  more  use  they  have  discharged  him,  and  he  has  remained 
here,  as  I  am  a  native  of  the  island  and  have  many  friends. 
He  will  start  in  an  hour  with  some  fishermen,  relations  of 
mine.  They  will  land  him  above  Gallipoli,  and  he  will 
walk  to  Constantinople.  Then  he  will  see  the  bimbashi  and 
his  former  comrades,  and  find  out  Osman  and  Fazli  Beys, 
who  were  with  us,  and  tell  them  of  your  being  prisoners,  so 
that  they  may  fise  their  influence  at  the  Porte,  and  tell  how 
you  risked  your  lives  for  them,  and  all —  May  Allah  protect 
you  both,  effendis  I  " 


AT    CONSTANTINOPLE  353 

Her  story  terminated  abruptly,  for  the  captain  at  this  mo- 
ment came  up  and  ordered  the  boat  away  from  the  side. 

"What  is  all  that  about,  Horace?"  Macfarlane  asked  as 
Horace  returned  the  woman's  last  salutation  with  two  or  three 
words  of  earnest  thanks.  "Why,  what  is  the  matter,  lad? 
there  are  tears  in  your  eyes." 

"I  am  touched  at  that  poor  woman's  gratitude,  doctor.  As 
you  can  see  by  her  dress  she  is  poor.  She  is  the  wife  of  a 
discharged  soldier,  that  man  who  lost  his  arm.  You  dressed 
the  stump,  you  may  remember.  I  know  you  said  that  it  had 
been  horribly  neglected,  and  remarked  what  a  splendid  con- 
stitution the  Turk  had;  you  thought  that  had  he  been  an 
Englishman  the  wound  would  probably  have  mortified  long 
before." 

"  Of  course  I  remember,  Horace.     And  has  he  got  over  it?  " 

"  He  has."  And  Horace  then  told  him  what  the  woman  had 
said. 

"It  does  one  good  to  hear  that,"  Macfarlane  said  when  he 
had  finished.  "Human  nature  is  much  the  same  whether  it 
is  in  the  wife  of  a  Turkish  soldier  or  of  a  Scottish  fisherman. 
The  poor  creature  and  her  husband  are  doing  all  they  can. 
The  bimbashi  and  the  beys  were  great  men  in  their  eyes,  and 
they  doubtless  think  that  they  are  quite  important  persons  at 
Constantinople.  Still,  it  is  pleasant  to  think  that  the  poor 
fellow,  whose  arm  must  still  be  very  far  from  healed,  is  under- 
taking this  journey  to  do  what  he  can  for  us.  It  minds  me  of 
that  grand  story  of  Effie  Deans  tramping  all  the  way  from 
Scotland  to  London  to  ask  for  her  sister's  pardon. 

"  I  don't  say  that  anything  is  like  to  come  of  it,  but  there  is 
no  saying.  If  these  Turks  are  as  grateful  as  this  soldier  and 
his  wife  they  might  possibly  do  something  for  us,  if  it  were 
not  that  the  Sultan  himself  will  settle  the  matter.  An  ordinary 
Turkish  official  will  do  almost  anything  for  money  or  favour, 
but  the  Sultan  is  not  to  be  got  round;  and  they  say  he  is  a 
strong  man,  and  goes  his  own  way  without  asking  the  advice 
of  anyone.     Still  it  is,  as  I  said,  pleasant  to  know  that  there 


354  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

are  people  who  have  an  interest  in  us,  and  who  are  doing 
all  in  their  power  to  help  us." 

An  hour  later  a  small  boat  was  seen  to  put  out  from  the 
port  and  to  row  away  in  the  direction  of  the  mainland. 

For  three  days  the  brig  lay  at  her  anchorage.  Then  a  gentle 
breeze  sprang  up  from  the  south.  Making  all  sail,  the  brig 
was  headed  to  the  entrance  of  the  Dardanelles. 

"Unless  there  is  more  wind  than  this,"  Horace  said,  "I 
should  hardly  think  she  will  be  able  to  make  her  way  up, 
doctor.  She  is  not  going  through  the  water  more  than  two 
knots  an  hour." 

"No,  she  will  have  to  anchor  again  as  soon  as  she  is  inside 
the  straits  unless  the  wind  freshens,  and  I  don't  think  it  is 
likely  to  do  that.  To  my  mind  it  looks  as  if  it  would  die  out 
again  at  sunset." 

This  proved  to  be  the  case,  and  before  it  became  dark  the 
brig  was  anchored  in  a  bay  on  the  Asiatic  side  a  short  distance 
from  the  entrance. 

The  next  morning  the  breeze  again  blew,  and  somewhat 
fresher  than  before.  All  day  the  captain  strove  to  pass  up 
the  straits.  Sometimes  by  keeping  over  out  of  the  force  of 
the  current  he  made  two  or  three  miles,  then  when  they  came 
to  some  projecting  point  the  current  would  catch  the  vessel 
and  drift  her  rapidly  down,  so  that  when  the  breeze  again  sank 
at  sunset  they  had  gained  only  some  four  miles.  Next  day 
they  were  more  fortunate  and  passed  the  castle  of  Abydos, 
and  the  third  evening  came  to  anchor  off  Gallipoli.  On  the 
following  morning  the  wind  blew  briskly  from  the  east,  and 
in  the  afternoon  they  dropped  anchor  off  Constantinople. 

"  Eh,  man,  but  it  is  a  wonderful  sight ! "  Macfarlane  said, 
as  they  looked  at  the  city  with  the  crenellated  wall  running 
along  by  the  water's  edge,  the  dark  groves  of  trees  rising 
behind  it,  and  the  mosques  with  their  graceful  minarets  on 
the  sky-line.  Ahead  of  them  was  Pera  with  its  houses  cluster- 
ing thickly  one  above  the  other,  and  the  background  of  tall 
cypress.     Across  the  water  lay  Scutari,  with  its  great  barracks, 


AT    CONSTANTINOPLE  355 

its  mosques,  and  the  kiosks  scattered  along  the  shore.  Caiques 
were  passing  backwards  and  forwards  across  the  water;  heavy 
boats  with  sailors  or  troops  rowing  between  the  ships  of  war 
and  the  shore;  native  craft  with  broad  sails  coming  up  astern 
from  Broussa  and  other  places  on  the  Sea  of  Marmora;  pleas- 
ure boats,  with  parties  of  veiled  women  rowing  idly  here  and 
there:  and  occasionally  a  long  caique,  impelled  by  six  sturdy 
rowers,  would  flash  past  with  some  official  of  rank. 

"I  have  seen  many  places,''  the  doctor  went  on,  "but  none 
like  this.  Nature  has  done  more  for  Rio,  and  as  much  per- 
haps for  Bombay,  but  man  has  done  little  for  either.  We 
may  boast  of  our  western  civilization,  and  no  doubt  we  can 
rear  stately  buildings;  but  in  point  of  beauty  the  orientals  are 
as  far  ahead  of  us  as  we  are  ahead  of  the  South  Sea  Islanders. 
Who  would  think  that  the  Turks,  with  their  sober  ways,  could 
ever  have  even  dreamed  of  designing  a  thing  so  beautiful  as 
that  mosque  with  its  graceful  outlines.  See  how  well  those 
dark  cypresses  grow  with  it;  it  would  lose  half  its  beauty  were 
it  to  rise  from  the  round  heads  of  an  English  wood. 

"  Just  compare  the  boats  of  light-coloured  wood  all  carved 
and  ornamented  with  their  graceful  lines,  and  the  boatmen  in 
their  snow-white  shirts,  with  their  loose  sleeves  and  bare  arms, 
and  their  scarlet  sashes  and  fezzes  with  the  black  tub  of  an 
Engli>h  or  Scottish  river.  Look  at  the  dresses  of  the  peasants 
in  that  heavy  boat  there,  and  compare  them  with  those  of  our 
own  people.  Why,  man,  we  may  be  a  great  nation,  intelli- 
gent, and  civilized,  and  all  that;  but  when  it  comes  to  an 
appreciation  of  the  beautiful  we  are  poor  bodies,  indeed,  by 
the  side  of  the  Turk,  whom  we  in  our  mightiness  are  accus- 
tomed to  consider  a  barbarian.  I  know  what  you  are  going 
to  say,"'  he  went  on,  as  Horace  was  going  to  speak.  "There 
is  tyranny  and  oppression,  and  evil  rule,  and  corruption,  and 
other  bad  things  in  that  beautiful  city.  I  grant  you  all  that, 
but  that  has  nothing  to  do  with  my  argument.  He  may  be  a 
heathen,  he  may  be  ignorant,  he  may  be  what  we  call  unciv- 
ilized; but  the  Turk  has  a  grand  soul  or  he  never  would  have 
imagined  a  dream  of  beauty  like  this." 


356  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

As  the  sun  set  half  an  hour  after  the  anchor  was  dropped  the 
officer  sent  with  them  by  the  pasha  did  not  think  it  necessary 
to  land  until  the  following  morning,  as  the  offices  would  all 
be  shut.  At  eight  o'clock  he  was  rowed  ashore  and  did  not 
return  until  late  in  the  evening.  Business  was  not  conducted 
at  a  rapid  rate  in  the  offices  of  the  Porte.  The  lieutenant 
interpreted  to  the  prisoners  that  the  letter  of  the  governor  of 
Tenedos  had  been  laid  before  the  grand  vizier,  who  would 
deliver  it  with  that  of  the  pasha  to  the  Sultan  at  his  audience 
in  the  evening. 

"Did  he  see  the  grand  vizier  himself?  "  Horace  asked. 

The  answer  was  in  the  affirmative. 

"  Did  he  gather  from  him  whether  it  was  likely  that  the 
Sultan  would  regard  the  matter  favourably?  " 

The  two  Turks  spoke  together  for  some  time.  "  I  am  sorry 
to  say,"  the  lieutenant  replied  when  they  had  done,  "that  the 
vizier  was  of  opinion  that  the  Sultan  would  be  immovable. 
He  has  sworn  to  spare  none  of  those  who  have  stirred  up  his 
subjects  to  rebellion,  and  who,  without  having  any  concern  in 
the  matter,  have  aided  them  against  him.  He  regards  them 
as  pirates,  and  has  resolved  by  severity  to  deter  others  from 
following  their  example.  The  vizier  said  that  he  would  do 
his  best,  but  that  when  the  Sultan's  mind  was  once  made  up 
nothing  could  move  him;  and  that  having  himself  received 
the  reports  of  the  destruction  of  one  of  his  war-ships,  and  the 
very  heavy  loss  inflicted  on  the  boats  of  the  fleet  at  Chios, 
and  having,  moreover,  received  memorials  from  the  merchants 
at  Smyrna  as  to  the  damage  inflicted  on  their  commerce  by 
what  was  called  the  white  schooner,  he  felt  that  he  would  be 
deaf  to  any  appeal  for  mercy  to  two  of  her  officers." 

At  eight  o'clock  next  morning  a  boat  with  twelve  soldiers 
and  an  officer  came  off  to  the  brig.  The  officer,  mounting 
on  the  deck,  handed  to  the  captain  an  order  for  the  delivery 
to  him  of  the  two  prisoners  sent  from  Thessaly. 

"  Things  look  bad,  I  am  afraid, "  Horace  said  as  they  stepped 
into  the  boat.     "I  saw  the  officer  exchange  a  word  or  two 


AT   CONSTANTINOPLE  357 

with  the  cavalry  man  who  brought  us  here  and  the  captain, 
and  I  am  sure,  by  the  expression  of  their  faces,  that  the  news 
was  bad.  I  am  sure,  too,  from  the  way  they  shook  hands  with 
us  at  parting." 

"Some  of  these  men's  faces  seem  familiar  to  me,"  the 
doctor  said  as  they  were  being  rowed  towards  a  landing  to  the 
east  of  the  palace  gardens.  "I  can't  say  that  they  were 
among  the  men  we  brought  from  Athens,  but  I  have  a  strong 
idea  that  two  or  three  of  them  were.  Do  you  recognize 
them  I5 " 

"I  can't  say  that  I  do.  You  see  they  were  only  on  board 
one  day,  and  I  thought  more  of  the  women  and  children  than 
of  the  soldiers  and  sailors." 

"I  am  almost  sure  of  them,  Horace;  yet  it  is  curious,  that 
if  they  are  the  men  we  saved  they  did  not  make  some  sign  of 
recognition  when  we  came  down  the  ladder.  Turkish  disci- 
pline is  not  very  strict.  They  did  not  seem  to  look  up  much. 
They  were  all  sitting  forward  of  the  six  oarsmen,  and  I  noticed, 
that  till  we  pushed  off  they  seemed  to  be  talking  about  some- 
thing together,  and  were  so  intent  on  it  that  they  did  not  look 
up  until  after  we  had  pushed  off.  I  did  notice  that  the  oars- 
men looked  a  little  surprised  when  the  officer,  as  we  pushed 
off,  gave  an  order  to  the  man  steering,  and  they  saw  which  way 
the  boat's  head  was  turned. 

"  I  don't  suppose  they  knew  that  we  were  prisoners,  Horace, 
and  were  expecting  to  go  back  to  the  place  they  came  from. 
I  suppose  the  landing  they  are  taking  us  to  is  the  nearest  one 
to  the  prison." 

There  were  no  boats  lying  at  the  broad  steps  alongside  which 
the  boat  drew  up.  Six  of  the  soldiers  took  their  places  in 
front  of  them,  the  officer  marched  between  them,  and  the 
other  six  soldiers  followed  behind.  The  road,  which  was  a 
narrow  one,  ran  between  two  very  high  walls,  and  rose  steeply 
upward. 

"Evidently  this  landing-place  is  not  much  used,"  the 
doctor  said.     "I  suppose  it  leads  to  some  quiet  quarter." 


358  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

A  hundred  yards  from  the  landing-place  the  officer  gave  the 
word  to  halt,  and  then  another  order,  upon  which  one  of  the 
men,  who  carried  a  bag,  began  to  open  it. 

"  Quick,  gentlemen  !  "  the  officer  said  in  Greek ;  "  you  must 
change  here.     Quick!  there  is  not  a  moment  to  lose." 

Astonished  at  the  order,  the  doctor  and  Horace  obeyed  it. 

"I  suppose,"  the  former  muttered,  "they  don't  want  it 
known  they  have  got  two  European  prisoners.  I  don't  see 
what  else  they  can  be  up  to." 

The  change  was  quickly  made.  Two  long  baggy  Turkish 
trousers  were  pulled  over  their  own,  their  jackets  were  thrown 
into  the  bag,  and  they  were  enveloped  in  Turkish  robes. 
Their  caps  were  thrown  beside  their  jackets,  and  turbans 
placed  on  their  heads,  while  their  shoes  were  pulled  off  and 
their  feet  thrust  into  Turkish  slippers.  The  officer  and  two 
of  the  soldiers  aided  in  the  work,  and  in  a  couple  of  minutes 
the  metamorphosis  was  complete. 

"Allah  be  praised !  "  the  officer  exclaimed  fervently;  and 
the  words  were  echoed  by  the  soldiers.  These  for  a  moment, 
regardless  of  discipline,  gathered  round  the  prisoners.  One 
after  another  seized  their  hands,  and  bending  over  them 
pressed  them  to  their  forehead;  then  the  officer  gave  an  order, 
and  one  or  two  at  a  time — the  soldiers  carried  only  their  side- 
arms — left  the  group  and  hurried  on  ahead,  until  the  officer 
remained  alone  with  the  astonished  Englishmen. 

"What  does  this  all  mean?  "  Horace  asked  the  officer  in 
Greek. 

"It  means  that  you  are  free,  my  friends,"  he  said,  shaking 
each  of  them  cordially  by  the  hand;  "at  least,  so  far  free. 
Now  let  us  follow  the  others." 

Still,  almost  thinking  they  were  dreaming,  the  doctor  and 
Horace  accompanied  their  companion  up  the  narrow  lane, 
and  emerged  into  a  quiet  street  behind  a  great  mosque;  skirt- 
ing the  wall  of  this,  they  entered  a  wider  street. 

"Be  careful,"  the  officer  said  in  Greek;  "walk  along  care- 
lessly, and  seem  to  be  conversing  with  me. " 


AT    CONSTANTINOPLE  OU(J 

Horace  translated  the  remark  to  the  doctor. 

There  were  not  a  great  many  people  about,  but  as  they  went 
along  the  number  increased.  They  crossed  a  busy  street, 
turned  down  a  lane  on  the  other  side,  and  then  walked  for 
upwards  of  half  an  hour,  turning  frequently,  and  as  far  as 
Horace  could  guess,  making  a  wide  detour,  and  again  ap- 
proaching the  busy  part  of  the  town.  Presently  the  officer 
stopped  near  the  corner  of  a  lane  in  a  quiet  street,  and  began 
to  talk  in  an  animated  tone  about  the  size  of  the  town  and 
other  matters,  until  he  saw  that  the  street  was  for  a  moment 
empty;  then  he  turned  sharply  down  the  lane,  which  ran 
between  the  backs  of  two  sets  of  houses,  went  for  a  hundred 
yards,  and  then  stopped  at  a  door  in  the  wall;  opened  it  with 
the  key,  hurried  them  in,  and  locked  the  door  behind  him. 

"Allah  be  praised!"  he  again  said;  "you  are  safe  thus  far. 
Now  come  in,  they  are  anxiously  expecting  us." 

He  entered  the  house,  which  stood  in  a  small  inclosure, 
and  led  the  way  into  a  room.  They  were  received  at  the 
door  by  a  Turk,  whom  both  recognized  at  once  as  Osman  Bey, 
one  of  the  principal  Turks  they  had  carried  from  Athens.  He 
repeated  the  officer's  pious  exclamation: 

"Allah  be  praised  for  his  mercies!  "  and  then  in  Greek  he 
said,  "Truly  I  am  rejoiced,  my  friends,  that  Allah  has  granted 
me  an  opportunity  of  showing  that  I  am  not  ungrateful,  and 
that  as  you  saved  me  and  mine  from  death,  so  have  I  been 
able  to  save  you;  and  I  am  doubly  glad  in  seeing,  what  I 
knew  not  before,  that  one  of  you  is  the  son  of  the  Englishman 
to  whom  principally  we  owed  our  escape." 

"We  are  grateful,  indeed,"  Horace  said;  "but  at  present 
we  understand  nothing.  This  officer  has  told  us  nothing 
whatever." 

"This  officer  is  my  son,  and  is  only  an  officer  for  the  occa- 
sion," Osman  Bey  said.  "But  come  into  the  next  room;  my 
wife  and  daughters  are  eagerly  expecting  you." 

Three  ladies  rose  from  a  divan  on  which  they  were  sitting 
when  the  bey  entered  the  room.  They  were  lightly  veiled, 
but  the  bey  said: 


360  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

"Lay  aside  your  veils.  These  are  as  my  sons,  and  you  can 
unveil  as  if  they  were  members  of  the  family." 

The  ladies  unveiled.  Horace  had  not  seen  their  faces 
before  on  board  ship,  for  the  women  of  the  upper  class  had 
remained  closely  veiled.  The  mother  was  a  stout,  elderly 
woman,  with  a  kindly  face.  Her  daughters  were  girls  of  four- 
teen or  fifteen,  with  dark  hair,  somewhat  colourless  faces,  and 
lovely  eyes.  The  bey's  wife  expressed  her  pleasure  at  the 
arrival  of  the  Englishmen.  The  girls  shrank  rather  timidly 
behind  her,  embarrassed  at  being  thus  unveiled  before  stran- 
gers. 

"Now  sit  down,"  the  bey  said.  "Zuleika,  do  you  bring 
in  coffee  and  sweetmeats  yourself.  I  do  not  wish  your  attend- 
ant to  enter  while  these  gentlemen  are  here." 

"I  have  sent  her  down  the  town  on  a  message,"  the  bey's 
wife  said,  while  the  younger  girl  rose  and  left  the  room.  "She 
is  faithful,  but  girls  will  chatter.  Mourad,  we  know,  we  can 
trust." 

The  girl  soon  returned  with  a  tray  with  coffee,  cakes,  and 
sweetmeats.     Then  the  bey  said : 

"Now  I  will  tell  you  all  about  this.  Ahmed,  the  sooner 
you  get  rid  of  that  uniform  the  better.  Give  it  to  Mourad  at 
once,  and  let  him  take  it  back  to  its  owner,  he  may  want  it." 

The  young  man  left  the  room. 

"Now  this  is  how  it  happened,"  the  bey  began.  "Three 
days  ago  came  the  messenger  from  Tenedos.  Did  you  know 
of  his  being  sent  hither?  " 

"Yes;  his  wife  told  us  he  was  leaving — a  soldier  who  had 
lost  his  arm." 

"  That  was  the  man.  He  went  to  Hassan  Bimbashi,  who 
brought  him  first  to  Fazli  Bey,  and  then  to  me.  We  had  a 
consultation.  It  was  clear  to  us  all  that  it  would  be  intoler- 
able that  men  who  had  behaved  with  such  humanity  to  us 
should  be  put  to  death,  if  we  could  possibly  save  them.  It 
took  us  a  long  time  to  arrange  the  matter,  and  we  three  sat  in 
the  next  room  there  debating  the  matter  all  night.     We  took 


AT    CONSTANTINOPLE  361 

Ahmed  into  our  council  at  once,  for  he  was,  of  course,  as 
anxious  to  aid  the  men  who  had  saved  his  parents  and  sisters 
from  massacre  as  we  were.  Naturally,  we  at  first  thought  of 
getting  you  out  of  prison  by  bribing  the  guards;  but  though 
this  would  have  been  comparatively  easy,  it  was  doubtful 
whether  there  would  be  time  to  carry  it  out.  There  are  sev- 
eral prisons  here,  and  there  was  no  saying  which  you  might 
be  sent  to,  or  who  would  be  the  men  in  charge  of  you;  there- 
fore, time  would  be  needed  after  you  arrived  here,  and  we 
saw  that  it  was  probable  that  no  time  would  be  given  us.  The 
Sultan  might,  of  course,  view  your  case  favourably;  but,  on 
the  other  hand,  if  he  ordered  you  to  execution,  there  would 
be  no  delay. 

"  When  a  thing  has  to  be  done,  especially  when  foreigners 
are  in  the  case,  it  is  better  to  do  it  at  once;  otherwise,  the 
Porte  would  be  pestered  by  the  foreign  representatives.  It 
was  agreed,  therefore,  that  if  you  were  to  be  rescued,  it  must 
be  done  between  the  time  of  your  arrival  and  your  being  put 
in  prison.  We  divided  the  work  into  four  parts.  Fazli,  who 
has  most  interest  at  the  Porte,  was  to  try  all  in  his  power  to 
influence  the  ministers,  and  to  get  the  grand  vizier  to  repre- 
sent the  matter  favourably  to  the  Sultan.  He  was  to  give  us 
the  earliest  news  of  whatever  decision  might  be  arrived  at, 
and  above  all,  he  was  to  get  some  minor  official  there  to  fol- 
low the  officer  to  whom  the  order  for  bringing  you  ashore 
should  be  given. 

"The  soldier  who  had  brought  the  message  from  Tenedos 
was  to  find  out  a  dozen  of  those  who  had  been  rescued  with 
us,  and  to  enlist  them  in  the  business.  The  bimbashi  under- 
took the  work  of  seizing  the  officer  bearing  the  order.  He 
could  not  very  well  take  the  command  of  the  soldiers.  Their 
faces  would  not  be  noticed  by  the  sailors  in  the  dockyard 
boat,  nor  by  those  on  board  the  ship;  but  Hassan's  would  be 
fully  seen  by  both.  My  son,  therefore,  volunteered  to  under- 
take this  part  of  the  affair,  dressed  in  Hassan's  uniform.  He 
was  to  meet  the  twelve  men  at  some  spot  agreed  upon,  near 


362  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

the  dockyard  gate ;  to  march  in  with  them,  produce  the  order, 
and  go  out  in  one  of  the  dockyard  boats  to  the  vessel;  bring 
you  ashore,  and  lead  you  here.  My  part  of  the  business  was 
to  conceal  you  as  long  as  necessary,  and  to  arrange  for  your 
escape  from  Constantinople.  Thus,  you  see,  the  risk  was 
slight  in  each  case.  Fazli  would  be  suspected,  because  he 
had  urged  your  case  at  the  Porte;  but  nothing  could  be  proved 
against  him.  His  servants  might  be  examined,  and  his  house 
searched.  He  would  be  able  to  prove  that  he  spent  the  even- 
ing with  several  of  his  friends,  to  whom  he  gave  an  entertain- 
ment; and  this  morning,  at  the  time  the  boat  came  for  you, 
he  was  to  be  at  the  ministry  again,  trying  what  could  be  done 
on  your  behalf. 

"None  of  the  soldiers  would  know  that  the  bimbashi  was 
mixed  up  in  the  affair  at  all.  Their  one-armed  comrade  was 
to  be  furnished  with  money  in  case  their  gratitude  required 
stimulating.  My  son  ran  no  risk,  because  it  is  among  the 
officers  of  the  garrison  that  the  search  will  be  made  for  the 
man  who  commanded  the  party.  As  for  myself,  there  is  noth- 
ing to  connect  me  in  any  way  with  it.  Ahmed  will  take  you 
off  this  evening  to  a  small  kiosk  of  mine  ten  miles  away  on 
the  coast.  The  bimbashi 's  share  was  the  most  dangerous. 
He  was  to  take  three  men  of  his  regiment  on  whom  he  could 
thoroughly  rely.  They  would  be  three  of  those  he  had  com- 
manded at  Athens  and  who  had  wives  and  children  who  had 
.been  rescued  by  you.  He  was  much  loved  by  his  soldiers, 
for  he  lived  and  starved  as  they  did,  and  did  all  in  his  power 
for  their  comfort. 

"  It  is  always  dangerous  to  trust  anyone,  but  in  this  case 
there  was  the  men's  loyalty  to  him  and  their  gratitude  to  you 
to  bind  them.  He  would  learn  from  Fazli  the  hour  when  the 
Sultan's  decision  would  be  given,  and  he  and  the  three  sol- 
diers were  to  be  upon  the  spot  and  to  watch  for  the  coming 
out  of  an  officer  followed  by  the  man  Fazli  was  to  appoint. 
The  officer  was  sure  to  go  to  one  or  other  of  the  barracks  for 
some   soldiers  to  accompany   him  to   the  vessel.     It   would 


AT    CONSTANTINOPLE  363 

depend  upon  the  hour  and  the  orders  he  received  whether  to 
go  direct  on  board  or  to  do  it  in  the  morning.  It  was  certain 
the  hour  would  be  late,  for  the  conferences  with  the  Sultan 
are  invariably  in  the  evening.  Whether  he  went  to  one  of  the 
barracks  or  to  his  own  lodging,  he  was  to  be  followed  until  he 
got  to  some  quiet  spot,  then  seized,  bound,  and  gagged,  put 
into  a  large -basket  two  of  the  soldiers  were  to  carry,  and  taken 
to  some  quiet  spot  outside  the  walls.  To-night,  after  it  is 
dark,  Hassan  will  go  up  and  loose  his  bonds  sufficiently  to 
enable  him  to  work  himself  free  after  a  time. 

"That  was  the  arrangement  at  which  we  arrived  after  talk- 
ing it  over  for  hours.  It  was  the  work  of  the  bimbashi  and 
Ahmed.  I  am  sure  that  Fazli  and  I  would  never  have  thought 
of  it  at  all  by  ourselves.  Ever  since  then  we  have  kept  a 
sharp  look-out  for  the  vessel.  Everything  had  been  got  ready. 
The  one-armed  soldier  had  got  the  twelve  men  ready  to  go  off. 
Hassan  said  he  had  made  his  arrangements,  and  had  found  a 
ruined  hut  half  a  mile  out  of  the  town  beyond  the  walls,  where 
there  was  little  chance  of  anyone  looking  in  in  the  course  of 
the  day,  and,  indeed,  if  anyone  did  so  after  eight  o'clock,  it 
would  make  little  matter,  as  you  would  be  ashore  by  that  hour. 
After  the  brig  arrived  I  had  messages  from  Fazli  every  hour. 
He  told  us  of  the  strong  letters  that  had  been  sent  by  Ali 
Pasha  and  the  governor  of  Tenedos,  and  he  brought  all  his 
influence  to  bear  to  aid  the  representations  made  by  them  and 
by  the  officer  who  brought  you  down. 

"The  ministers  and  the  grand  vizier  were  all  agreed  that 
the  kindness  shown  by  those  on  board  the  English  ship  should 
suffice  to  save  your  lives,  but  the  Sultan  decides  for  himself, 
and  he  was  known  to  be  so  enraged  at  foreigners  joining  the 
Greeks  in  their  rebellion  against  him  that  they  feared  nothing 
would  move  him.  Everything,  therefore,  was  prepared  for 
the  attempt.  The  twelve  soldiers  were  directed  to  be  at  a 
spot  near  the  dockyard  at  seven  in  the  morning;  and  the 
bimbashi,  with  his  three  men,  took  up  his  post  near  the 
entrance   to   the   ministry.      I  had  nothing  to  do.     At  twelve 


364  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

o'clock  last  night  Hassan  came  here,  bringing  the  official 
letter  and  a  suit  of  his  uniform.  Everything  had  gone  well. 
The  messenger  had  been  seized  in  a  lonely  street  leading  to 
one  of  the  barracks,  and  was  overpowered  and  silenced  before 
he  had  time  to  utter  a  sound.  Hassan  accompanied  the  men 
carrying  the  basket  in  case  by  any  accident  they  should  be 
questioned,  and  saw  the  officer  placed,  securely  bound,  in  the 
hut.  As  he  had  been  blindfolded  the  instant  he  had  been 
seized  he  could  not  have  seen  that  his  assailants  were  soldiers. 
Ahmed  can  tell  you  the  rest." 

"There  is  nothing  to  tell,"  the  young  man  said.  "I  found 
the  soldiers  waiting  at  the  spot  agreed  upon,  and  gave  them 
the  arranged  sign.  We  went  into  the  dockyard.  I  showed  the 
order,  and  demanded  a  large  boat,  which  was  at  once  given 
me.  Then  I  went  off  to  the  vessel,  where  our  friends  were 
handed  over  to  me  without  a  question;  rowed  to  the  wharf; 
the  clothes  were  changed  in  the  lane;  and  here  we  are." 

"  I  cannot  thank  you  sufficiently  for  your  kindness,  Osman 
Bey,  on  behalf  of  myself  and  my  friend  here,  and  express  our 
gratitude  also  to  your  son,  to  Hassan  Bimbashi,  and  to  Fazli 
Bey.  You  have  indeed  nobly  repaid  the  service  that  my 
father  and  all  of  us  were  glad  to  have  been  able  to  render  you." 

"Do  not  talk  about  gratitude,"  the  bey  said.  "You  saved 
not  only  us,  but  our  wives  and  families,  and  that  at  the  risk 
of  your  lives,  for  I  expected  that  the  Greeks  would  fall  upon 
you  for  interfering  in  their  butchery.  What  you  did  for  us 
was  done  for  strangers  against  whom  you  were  in  arms.  What 
we  have  done  for  you  has  been  done  for  our  benefactors. 
Therefore  let  no  more  be  said.  My  wife  and  daughters  would 
have  despised  me  had  I  not  done  all  in  my  power  to  rescue 
their  preservers.  Now  let  us  return  to  the  next  room,  where 
we  will  have  a  meal.  I  think  it  would  be  as  well,  Ahmed,  to 
send  Mourad  at  once  down  to  the  bridge  to  hire  a  caique 
there,  and  tell  him  to  take  it  to  the  next  landing  to  that  at 
which  you  disembarked,  and  there  wait  for  you.  What  do 
you  say?  " 


THE   "  MISERICORDIA  "    AGAIN  365 

"  I  think,  father,  it  would  be  better  to  go  boldly  down  to 
the  bridge  and  take  the  boat  there.  I  am  sure  to  see  some  of 
the  men  we  generally  employ,  and  it  will  seem  natural  to 
them  that  I  should  be  going  with  two  friends  up  to  our  kiosk; 
whereas  the  other  way  would  be  unusual,  and  when  inquiries 
are  made,  as  there  are  sure  to  be,  they  might  speak  of  it.  But 
I  agree  with  you  that  it  will  be  as  well  not  to  wait  until  the 
evening.  Directly  the  officer  gets  free  there  is  sure  to  be  a 
great  stir,  and  there  may  be  janissaries  placed  at  the  various 
landings,  as  it  might  be  supposed  the  escaped  prisoners  would 
try  to  get  on  board  a  neutral  ship." 

"  Perhaps  that  would  be  better,  Ahmed.  I  think  they 
might  boldly  go  through  the  crowd  with  a  little  more  atten- 
tion to  their  dress." 


CHAPTER   XXI 

THE    "  MISERICORDIA  "    AGAIN 

BEFORE  starting,  the  disguises  of  Horace  and  the  doctor 
were  perfected.  They  were  so  bronzed  by  the  sun  and 
air  that  their  skin  was  no  fairer  than  that  of  many  Turks  of 
the  better  class;  but  it  was  thought  as  well  to  apply  a  slight 
tinge  of  dye  to  them,  and  to  darken  the  doctor's  eyelashes 
and  eyebrows  with  henna.  The  hair  was  cut  closely  off  the 
nape  of  the  neck,  below  the  line  to  which  the  turban,  properly 
adjusted,  came  down,  and  the  skin  was  stained  to  match  that 
of  their  faces.  The  garments  they  wore  formed  part  of 
Ahmed's  wardrobe,  and  only  needed  somewhat  more  careful 
adjustment  than  they  had  at  first  received.  The  ladies  came 
up  to  bid  them  farewell;  but,  as  it  had  been  arranged  that  in 
the  course  of  a  few  days,  when  inquiry  should  have  ceased, 
the  bey,  with  his  wife  and  daughters,  should  also  proceed  to 
their  country  residence,   they  would   meet   again   ere    long. 


366  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

Mourad  was  to  accompany  them,  and  putting  a  large  box  on 
his  shoulders,  filled  with  changes  of  clothes  and  other  neces- 
saries, he  followed  them  down  the  street. 

In  a  short  time  they  were  in  a  busy  thoroughfare,  the  num- 
ber of  people  becoming  larger  and  larger  as  they  went  down 
towards  the  water.  Janissaries  in  their  showy  uniform  swag- 
gered along,  soldiers  of  the  line,  merchants,  and  peasants, 
while  hernials  staggering  along  under  enormous  burdens  swung 
from  bamboo  poles,  made  their  way,  keeping  up  a  constant 
shout  to  the  crowd  to  clear  the  road.  State  functionaries 
moved  gravely  along  on  their  way  to  the  offices  of  the  Porte. 
Veiled  women,  with  children  in  their  arms  or  clinging  to 
them,  stopped  to  talk  to  each  other  in  the  streets  or  bargained 
with  the  traders  at  the  little  shops.  Military  officers  and 
Turks  of  the  upper  class  rode  along  on  showy  horses,  pranc- 
ing and  curvetting  and  scattering  the  foot  passengers  right 
and  left. 

Ahmed  and  his  companions  kept  straight  on,  paying  appar- 
ently no  attention  to  what  was  going  on  around  them,  Ahmed 
occasionally  making  a  remark  in  Turkish,  the  others  keeping 
silent. 

When  they  reached  the  water-side  a  number  of  boatmen 
surrounded  Ahmed,  who  soon  found  two  men  whom  he  had 
frequently  employed.  The  caique  was  brought  alongside. 
Ahmed  had  already  told  Horace  to  step  in  without  hesitation 
with  his  companion,  and  to  take  their  seats  at  the  bottom  of 
the  boat  in  the  stern,  while  he  and  Mourad  would  sit  between 
them  and  the  boatmen.  The  latter  took  their  places,  and 
each  seized  a  pair  of  the  sculls.  These,  which  were  much 
lighter  than  the  sculls  of  an  English  boat,  were  round  with  a 
long  broad  blade.  They  were  not  in  rollocks,  but  in  a  strap 
of  leather  fastened  to  a  single  thole-pin;  inside  this  they 
thickened  to  a  bulk  of  three  or  four  inches  in  diameter,  nar- 
rowing at  the  extremity  for  the  grip  of  the  hand.  This  thick 
bulge  gave  an  excellent  balance  to  the  sculls,  and  was  ren- 
dered necessary  by  the  fact  that  the  boats  were  high  out  of 


THE    (i  MISERICORDIA  "    AGAIN  367 

water,  and  the  length  of  the  sculls  outboard  disproportionately 
large  to  that  inboard. 

A  few  vigorous  strokes  by  the  rowers  sent  the  boat  out  into 
the  open  water.  Then  the  forward  oarsman  let  his  sculls  hang 
by  their  thongs  alongside,  took  out  four  long  pipes  from  the 
bottom  of  the  caique,  filled  and  lighted  them,  and  passed  them 
aft  to  the  passengers,  and  then  again  betook  himself  to  his 
sculls.  Bearing  gradually  across  they  reached  the  other  side 
below  Scutari,  and  then  kept  along  the  shore  at  a  distance  of 
a  hundred  yards  from  the  land.  Ahmed  chatted  to  the  oars- 
man next  to  him,  and  to  Mourad,  occasionally  making  some 
remark  to  the  others  in  Turkish  in  reference  to  the  pretty 
kiosks  that  fringed  the  shore;  enforcing  what  he  said  by 
pointing  to  the  objects  of  which  he  was  speaking.  They 
assumed  an  appearance  of  interest  at  what  he  was  saying,  and 
occasionally  Horace,  who  was  next  to  him,  talked  to  him  in 
low  tones  in  Greek,  so  that  the  boatman  should  not  catch  the 
words,  Ahmed  each  time  replying  in  Turkish  in  louder  tones. 

No  class  of  boatmen  in  the  world  row  with  the  vigour  and 
strength  with  which  those  of  the  Bosphorus — who  are  for  the 
most  part  Albanians — ply  their  sculls,  and  both  Horace  and 
the  doctor  were  struck  with  surprise  and  admiration  at  the 
steady  and  unflagging  way  in  which  the  men  rowed,  their 
breath  seeming  to  come  no  quicker,  though  the  perspiration 
stood  in  beads  on  their  brown  faces  and  muscular  arms,  and 
streamed  down  their  swarthy  chests,  which  were  left  bare  by 
the  open  shirts  of  almost  filmy  material  of  snowy  whiteness. 
Once  only  in  the  two  hours'  journey  did  they  cease  rowing 
and  indulge  for  five  minutes  in  a  smoke;  after  which  they 
renewed  their  labours  with  as  much  vigour  as  when  they  first 
started. 

"That  is  the  kiosk,"  Ahmed  said  at  last,  pointing  to  one 
standing  by  itself  near  the  water's  edge  on  a  projecting  point 
of  land,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  caique  swept  in  to  the  stairs. 
Ahmed  had  quietly  passed  a  few  small  silver  coins  into  Hor- 
ace's hand,  whispering  in  Greek: 


368  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

"Give  them  these  as  you  land;  an  extra  tip  is  always  wel- 
come." 

Then  he  paid  the  men  as  he  got  out,  saying  to  them : 

"  I  expect  the  ladies  in  a  few  days.  You  had  better  go  up 
each  morning  to  the  house,  and  then  you  can  secure  the  job." 

Horace  dropped  the  coins  into  the  boatman's  hand,  with 
a  nod,  as  he  stepped  out,  and  then  they  walked  up  to  the 
house.  The  boatmen  again  lighted  their  pipes  for  a  smoke 
before  starting  back  on  their  long  row.  The  kiosk  was  shut 
up.  Mourad  opened  the  door  with  a  key,  and  threw  the 
shutters  open. 

"  I  wonder  you  leave  the  place  entirely  shut  up,"  Horace 
said. 

"There  is  nothing  to  steal,"  Ahmed  laughed.  "A  few  mats 
for  the  floors  and  cushions  for  the  divans.  The  cooking  pots 
and  crockery  are  locked  up  in  a  big  chest;  there  is  little  else. 
There  are  a  few  vases  for  flowers  and  other  ornaments  stowed 
away  in  a  cupboard  somewhere,  but  altogether  there  is  little 
to  tempt  robbers;  and,  indeed,  there  are  very  few  of  them 
about.  The  houses  are  always  left  so,  and  it  is  an  almost 
unknown  thing  for  them  to  be  disturbed.  You  see  everything 
is  left  clean  and  dusted,  so  the  place  is  always  ready  when  we 
like  to  run  down  for  a  day  or  two.  The  house  has  not  been 
used  much  lately,  for  my  parents  and  sisters  have  been  two 
years  at  Athens,  and  I  have  been  frequently  away  at  our  estates, 
which  lie  some  fifteen  miles  west  of  Constantinople.  Now 
we  will  take  a  turn  round,  while  Mourad  is  getting  dinner 
ready." 

The  latter  had  brought  with  him,  in  addition  to  the  box,  a 
large  basket  containing  charcoal,  provisions,  and  several  black 
bottles. 

"There  is  a  village  half  a  mile  farther  along  the  shore, 
where  he  will  do  his  marketing  to-morrow,"  Ahmed  had  ex- 
plained as  he  pointed  to  the  basket. 

The  garden  was  a  rough  triangle,  two  sides  being  washed 
by  the  water,  while  a  high  wall  running  across  the  little  prom- 


THE   "  MISERICORDIA  "    AGAIN  369 

ontory  formed  the  third  side.  It  was  some  sixty  or  seventy 
yards  each  way;  the  house  stood  nearly  in  the  middle;  the 
ground  sloped  down  on  either  side  of  it  to  the  water,  and  was 
here  clear  of  shrubs,  which  covered  the  rest  of  the  garden, 
interspersed  with  a  few  shady  trees.  There  were  seats  placed 
under  these,  and  a  small  summer-house,  surrounded  on  three 
sides  by  high  shrubs  but  open  to  the  water,  stood  at  the  end 
of  the  point. 

"It  is  a  little  bit  of  a  place,  as  you  see,"  Ahmed  said;  "but 
my  mother  and  the  girls  are  very  fond  of  it,  and  generally 
stay  here  during  the  hot  season.  It  is  quite  secluded,  and  at 
the  same  time  they  have  a  good  view  of  everything  going  up 
and  down  the  Sea  of  Marmora;  and  if  there  is  any  breeze  at 
all,  it  sweeps  right  through  the  house." 

"It  is  charming,"  Horace  said.  "With  a  boat  here,  one 
could  not  want  anything  better." 

"We  always  have  a  boat,  with  two  men,  while  we  are  here," 
Ahmed  said.  "  The  two  men  who  rowed  us  have  been  with 
us  two  or  three  seasons.  My  father  often  wants  to  go  into 
Constantinople,  and  I  generally  go  when  he  does.  We  usually 
sleep  at  our  house  there,  and  come  back  the  next  evening. 
If  the  ladies  want  to  go  out  while  we  are  away,  they  can  get  a 
caique  at  the  village." 

After  they  had  taken  a  turn  round  the  garden  they  went  into 
the  house  again.  The  principal  room  on  the  ground-floor 
was  at  the  end  of  the  house,  and  occupied  its  full  width.  The 
windows  extended  entirely  round  three  sides  of  it,  a  divan, 
four  feet  wide,  running  below  them. 

"  You  see,  on  a  hot  day,"  Ahmed  said,  "and  with  all  these 
windows  open,  it  is  almost  like  being  in  the  open  air;  and 
whichever  way  the  wind  is,  we  can  open  or  close  those  on 
one  side,  according  to  its  strength." 

The  ceiling  and  the  wall  on  the  fourth  side  of  the  room 
were  coloured  pink,  with  arabesques  in  white.  The  windows 
extended  from  the  level  of  the  divan  up  to  the  ceiling,  and 
were  of  unpainted  wood  varnished,  as  was  the  wood-work  of 


OiV  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

the  divan.  The  floor  was  very  carefully  and  evenly  laid,  and 
the  planks  planed  and  varnished.  Beyond  two  or  three  little 
tables  of  green-painted  wood,  there  was  no  furniture  whatever 
in  the  room.  Outside  the  windows  were  jalousies  or  perforated 
shutters,  which  could  be  closed  during  the  heat  of  the  day  to 
keep  the  room  dark  and  cool. 

Mourad  had  already  got  out  the  cushions  and  pillows  and 
spread  them  on  the  divan;  had  placed  a  small  iron  bowl  full 
of  lighted  charcoal  in  a  low  box  full  of  sand  in  the  centre  of 
the  room,  and  a  brass  casket  full  of  tobacco  on  one  of  the 
tables.  Half  a  dozen  chibouks,  with  amber  mouthpieces  and 
cherry  or  jasmine-wood  stems,  leant  in  a  corner. 

Three  of  the  pipes  were  soon  filled,  and  a  piece  of  glowing 
charcoal,  taken  from  the  fire  with  a  pair  of  small  tongs  lying 
beside  it,  was  placed  on  each  bowl.  A  few  puffs  were  taken 
to  get  the  tobacco  alight,  then  the  pieces  of  charcoal  were 
dropped  into  the  fire  again,  and  shaking  off  their  slippers 
they  took  their  seats  on  the  cushions  of  the  divan. 

"  It  is  very  unfortunate  that  your  friend  does  not  speak 
Greek,"  Ahmed  began. 

"Yes,  it  is  unfortunate  for  him,"  Horace  said  as  he  trans- 
lated the  remark  to  Macfarlane. 

"  If  I  had  known  that  my  lot  was  going  to  be  cast  out  here," 
the  doctor  said,  "  I  would  have  insisted  on  learning  modern 
Greek  instead  of  ancient  at  school — that  is,  if  I  could  have 
got  a  dominie  who  could  have  taught  me.  It  is  a  very  serious 
drawback,  especially  when  you  know  that  people  are  talking 
of  things  that  may  or  may  not  mean  that  you  are  going  to  get 
your  throat  cut  in  an  hour  or  so.  For  the  last  two  days  I 
seem  to  have  been  just  drifting  in  the  dark." 

"But  I  always  translate  to  you  as  much  as  I  can,  doctor." 

"  You  do  all  that,  Horace,  and  I  will  say  this  that  you  do 
your  best;  but  it  is  unsatisfactory  getting  things  at  second 
hand.  One  likes  to  know  precisely  how  things  are  said. 
However,  as  matters  have  gone  there  is  nothing  to  grumble 
at,  though  where  one's  life  is  concerned  it  is  a  natural  weak- 


THE    "  MISERICORD  LA.  "    AGAIN  371 

ness  that  one  should  like  to  have  some  sort  of  say  in  the 
matter,  instead  of  feeling  that  one  is  the  helpless  sport  of 
fate." 

Horace  laughed,  and  Ahmed  smiled  gravely,  when  he  trans- 
lated the  doctor's  complaint. 

"It  comes  all  the  harder  to  me,"  the  doctor  went  on, 
"because  I  have  always  liked  to  know  the  why  and  the  where- 
fore of  a  matter  before  I  did  it.  I  must  confess  that  since  I 
have  been  in  the  navy  that  wish  has  been  very  seldom  grati- 
fied. Captains  are  not  in  the  habit  of  giving  their  reasons  to 
their  surgeons,  overlooking  the  fact  altogether  that  these  are 
scientific  men,  and  that  their  opinion  on  most  subjects  is 
valuable.  They  have  too  much  of  the  spirit  of  the  centurion 
of  old.  They  say  'Do  this,'  and  it  has  to  be  done,  'You  will 
accompany  the  boats,  Dr.  Macfarlane,'  or  'You  will  not 
accompany  the  boats.'  I  wonder  sometimes  that,  after  an 
action,  they  don't  come  down  into  the  cockpit  and  say,  'You 
will  cut  off  this  leg, '  or 'This  arm  is  not  to  be  amputated.' 
The  highness-and-mightiness  of  a  captain  in  His  Majesty's 
navy  is  something  that  borders  on  the  omnipotent.  There  is 
a  maxim  that  the  king  can  do  no  wrong;  but  a  king  is  a  poor 
fallible  body  in  comparison  with  a  captain." 

"Well,  I  don't  think  you  have  anything  to  complain  of  with 
Martyn,"  Horace  laughed. 

"  Martyn  is  only  an  acting-captain,  Horace,  and  it  is  not 
till  they  get  the  two  swabs  on  their  shoulders  that  the  dignity 
of  their  position  makes  itself  felt.  A  first  lieutenant  begins, 
as  a  rule,  to  take  the  disease  badly,  but  it  is  not  till  he  gets 
his  step  that  it  takes  entire  possession  of  him.  I  have  even 
known  a  first  lieutenant  listen  to  argument.  It's  rare,  lad, 
very  rare,  but  I  have  known  such  a  thing;  as  for  a  captain, 
argument  is  as  bad  as  downright  open  mutiny.  Well,  this  is 
a  comfortable  place  that  we  have  got  into,  at  least  in  hot 
weather,  but  I  should  say  that  an  ice-house  would  be  prefer- 
able in  winter.  These  windows  don't  fit  anyhow,  and  there 
would  be  a  draft  through  them  that  would  be  calculated  to 


372  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

establish  acute  rheumatism  in  the  system  in  the  course  of 
half  an  hour." 

"The  house  is  not  used  at  all  in  winter,"  Ahmed  said,  when 
he  understood  the  nature  of  the  doctor's  criticisms.  "Almost 
all  the  kiosks  along  here  belong  to  people  in  the  town,  and 
are  closed  entirely  for  four  months  of  the  year.  We  are  fond 
of  warmth,  and  when  the  snow  is  on  the  ground,  and  there  is 
a  cold  wind  blowing,  there  would  be  no  living  here  in  any 
comfort." 

Six  days  passed.  Ahmed  went  once  to  Constantinople  to 
learn  what  was  going  on.  He  brought  back  news  that  the 
escape  of  the  two  English  prisoners  had  caused  a  great  sensa- 
tion at  the  Porte,  that  all  the  officers  in  the  regiments  there 
had  been  paraded  in  order  that  the  boatmen  and  the  officers 
of  the  brig  might  pick  out  the  one  who  had  brought  off  the 
order,  but  that  naturally  no  one  had  been  identified.  The 
soldiers  had  also  been  inspected,  but  as  none  of  these  had 
been  particularly  noticed  by  the  boatmen,  the  search  for  those 
engaged  had  been  equally  unsuccessful.  Fazli  Bey  had  been 
severely  interrogated,  his  servants  questioned,  and  his  house 
searched,  but  nothing  had  been  found  to  connect  him  in  any 
way  with  the  escape.  A  vigilant  watch  had  been  set  upon 
every  European  ship  in  port,  and  directions  had  been  sent 
that  every  vessel  passing  down  the  straits  was  to  bring-to  off 
the  castles,  and  to  undergo  a  strict  search. 

Ahmed  said  that  his  father  had  heard  from  Fazli  Bey  that 
while  the  Sultan  was  furious  at  the  manner  in  which  the  pris- 
oners had  been  released,  it  was  against  those  who  had  taken 
part  in  it  that  his  anger  was  principally  directed,  and  that  it 
was  thought  he  was  at  heart  not  altogether  sorry  that  the  two 
men  who  had  befriended  the  Turks  at  Athens  had  got  off, 
although  he  would  not  have  wavered  in  his  own  expressed 
determination  to  put  to  death  without  exception  all  foreigners 
who  had  aided  the  Greeks.  "  My  father  has  not  at  present 
thought  of  any  plan  for  getting  you  away, "  Ahmed  said.  "  The 
search  is  too  rigorous,  and  no  master  of  a  vessel  would  dare 


THE    "  MISERICOKDIA       AGAIN  Old 

to  carry  you  off;  but  in  a  short  time  the  matter  will  be  for- 
gotten, and  the  search  in  the  port  and  in  the  Dardanelles  will 
be  slackened.  It  causes  a  great  deal  of  trouble  and  incon- 
venience, and  the  officials  will  soon  begin  to  relax  their  efforts. 
It  is  one  of  our  national  characteristics,  you  know,  to  hate 
trouble.  My  father  will  be  here  with  the  others  in  a  couple  of 
days,  and  then  we  will  hold  a  council  over  it." 

The  next  day  a  boat  arrived  with  carpets  and  hangings  for 
the  rooms  upstairs,  which  were  entirely  devoted  to  the  females 
of  the  household;  and  on  the  following  evening  Osman  Bey, 
with  his  wife  and  daughters,  arrived  in  the  same  caique  that 
Ahmed  had  come  in,  two  female  servants  with  a  quantity  of 
luggage  coming  in  another  boat.  The  next  few  days  passed 
very  pleasantly.  The  ladies  took  their  meals  apart  upstairs, 
but  at  other  times  sat  in  the  room  below,  treating  Horace  and 
the  doctor  as  if  they  were  members  of  the  family.  There 
were  many  discussions  as  to  the  best  method  of  effecting  their 
escape,  and  Ahmed  went  twice  to  Constantinople  to  ascertain 
whether  the  search  for  them  was  being  relaxed. 

At  last  he  and  his  father  agreed  that  it  would  be  the  best 
plan  for  them  to  go  to  Izmid,  and  to  take  a  passage  from  there 
if  some  small  craft  could  be  found  sailing  for  Chios,  or  one 
of  the  southern  ports  or  islands.  Ahmed  was  to  accompany 
them,  and  was  first  to  go  to  Izmid  to  make  the  necessary 
arrangements.  He  knew  many  merchants  in  the  port,  and  as 
some  of  these  were  intimate  friends  they  would  probably  be 
disposed  to  assist  those  who  had  rendered  so  great  a  service 
to  Osman  Bey  and  his  family,  but  at  the  same  time  Ahmed 
said:  "You  must  not  be  impatient.  The  news  of  your  being 
carried  off  by  sham  soldiers,  as  they  say,  after  their  having 
assaulted  and  robbed  the  officer  who  was  bearer  of  the  order 
for  your  delivery,  has  made  a  great  talk,  and  I  shall  have  to 
be  very  careful  as  to  how  I  open  the  subject." 

"Pray  run  no  risks,"  Horace  said.  "You  have  all  done  so 
already,  and  we  should  be  unhappy,  indeed,  were  any  ill- 
fortune  to  befall  you  or  your  family  for  what  you  have  done 


374  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

for  us.  We  are  very  comfortable  here.  I  would  much  rather 
wait  for  some  really  favourable  opportunity  than  hazard  your 
safety,  to  say  nothing  of  our  own,  by  impatience.  It  is  but 
a  fortnight  since  we  made  our  escape." 

"I  am  going  up  the  Bosphorus  to-morrow,"  Ahmed  said. 
"I  have  to  see  a  bey  whose  property  adjoins  ours,  and  who 
has  a  kiosk  some  distance  above  Scutari.  It  is  only  a  ques- 
tion of  business,  and  I  shall  not  be  many  minutes.  I  shall  be 
glad  if  you  will  go  with  me;  you  can  remain  in  the  boat. 
The  rowers  are  so  accustomed  to  see  you  that  they  can  have 
no  curiosity  about  you;  besides,  now  that  they  are  regularly 
in  our  service,  and  sleep  and  live  here,  there  is  no  one  for 
them  to  gossip  with,  and,  indeed,  as  we  are  good  patrons  of 
theirs  I  do  not  think  they  would  say  anything  about  you, 
whatever  they  might  suspect." 

"I  suppose  you  can  take  us  both,  Ahmed?  " 

"  Certainly  I  meant  that,  of  course.  Your  friend  would  find 
it  dull  indeed  alone  here." 

Accordingly  the  next  morning  they  started.  When  they 
neared  Scutari  they  saw  on  the  other  side  of  the  water  a  brig 
making  her  way  in  from  the  Dardanelles. 

"That  is  a  slovenly-looking  craft,  doctor,  with  those  dirty 
ill-fitting  sails;  rather  a  contrast  that  to  our  schooner.  I 
wonder  where  she  is  and  what  she  is  doing.  That  brig  is 
about  her  size  too,  and  the  hull  is  not  unlike  hers,  looking  at 
it  from  here." 

The  doctor  gazed  at  the  craft  intently.  "Eh,  man,"  he 
said  in  low  tones,  grasping  his  companion's  arm  tightly,  "I 
believe  that  it  is  our  craft,  Horace." 

"What,  that  dirty  looking  brig,  doctor,  with  her  sides  look- 
ing as  rusty  as  if  she  had  not  had  a  coat  of  paint  for  the  last 
year!" 

"It's  the  schooner  disguised.  It  is  easy  enough,  lad,  to 
alter  the  rig,  and  to  get  hold  of  dirty  sails  and  to  dirty  the 
paint,  but  you  can't  alter  the  shape.  No  Greek,  or  Turk 
either,  ever  turned  out  the  hull  of  that  brig." 


THE    "  MISERICORDIA  "    AGAIN  375 

"  It  is  marvellously  like  the  schooner,"  Horace  said.  "I 
should  almost  have  sworn  that  it  was  her." 

"  It  is  the  schooner,  lad.  How  she  got  there,  and  what  she 
is  doing,  I  don't  know,  but  it  is  her." 

"What  is  it?"  Ahmed  asked.  "What  is  there  curious  in 
that  brig  that  you  are  so  interested  in  her?  " 

"We  both  think  it  is  our  schooner,  Ahmed;  the  one  in 
which  we  took  your  father  and  mother  from  Athens  in." 

"That!"  Ahmed  exclaimed  incredulously;  "why,  my  sis- 
ters were  always  saying  what  a  beautiful  vessel  it  was,  with 
snow-white  sails." 

"So  she  had,  Ahmed;  but  if  it  is  the  schooner  she  is  dis- 
guised altogether.  They  have  taken  down  her  top-masts  and 
put  those  stumpy  spars  in  instead;  they  have  put  up  yards  and 
turned  her  into  a  brig;  they  have  got  sails  from  somewhere 
and  slackened  all  her  ropes,  and  made  her  look  dirty  and 
untidy;  still  we  both  think  that  it  is  her.  Please  tell  the 
boatmen  to  cross  to  the  vessel  and  row  alongside." 

Ahmed  gave  the  order,  and  as  the  caique  shot  away  from 
the  shore  said:  "But  how  could  it  be  your  ship?  Do  you 
think  that  she  has  been  captured?  If  not,  she  could  not  have 
ventured  up  here." 

"  She  has  not  been  captured, "  Horace  said  confidently,  "  and 
if  she  had  been  her  captors  would  not  have  taken  the  trouble 
to  spoil  her  appearance.  If  that  is  the  schooner  they  have 
come  up  to  make  inquiries  about  us,  and  to  try  to  rescue  us 
if  possible." 

It  was  fully  two  miles  across,  and  as  they  approached  the 
brig  the  doctor  and  Horace  became  more  and  more  convinced 
that  they  were  not  mistaken. 

"Please  tell  the  men  to  pull  in  behind  her,"  Horace  said, 
"so  that  we  can  see  her  better.  There  can  be  no  mistake 
about  her  if  we  can  catch  a  sight  of  her  fore  and  aft." 

When  they  fell  into  the  brig's  wake  they  were  some  three 
hundred  yards  astern  of  her,  and  the  last  vestige  of  doubt  dis- 
appeared as  they  saw  her  great  breadth  and  fine  run. 


376  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

"That  is  my  father's  craft,  Ahmed,  I  could  swear  to  her 
now.     Will  you  tell  the  men  to  row  up  alongside." 

There  were  only  four  or  five  men  visible  on  deck  in  the 
ordinary  dress  of  Turkish  sailors.  As  the  caique  came  along- 
side a  man  put  his  head  over  the  rail  and  asked  in  Turkish 
"what  they  wanted?  " 

"We  want  to  come  on  board,"  Ahmed  said;  "we  have 
business  with  the  captain." 

"I  am  the  captain,"  the  man  said;  "are  you  one  of  the  port 
officers?  " 

"Drop  astern  to  the  chains,"  Ahmed  said  to  the  boatmen, 
who  were  hanging  on  by  a  boat-hook.  They  let  the  caique 
fall  aft  her  own  length,  and  then,  seizing  the  shrouds,  the 
doctor  and  Horace  sprang  up  on  to  the  chains  and  then  leapt 
on  board,  Ahmed  following  them  more  slowly.  There  was  no 
doubt  that  it  was  the  schooner,  though  her  decks  were  covered 
with  dirt  and  litter,  and  the  paint  of  her  bulwarks  discoloured 
as  if  they  had  been  daubed  with  mud  which  had  been  allowed 
to  dry.  The  sailors  looked  up  as  if  in  surprise  at  the  sudden 
appearance  of  the  strangers  on  their  deck.  Horace  glanced 
at  them.     He  knew  none  of  their  faces. 

"Well,  sir,"  the  captain  said,  coming  up,  "may  I  again  ask 
what  you  want  with  us?  " 

"You  talk  to  him,  Ahmed,"  Horace  said  in  Greek.  "We 
will  run  below;  "  and  at  a  bound  he  was  at  the  top  of  the 
companion  and  sprang  down  into  the  cabin.  "Father,"  he 
shouted,  "are  you  here?" 

The  door  of  the  main  cabin  opened,  and  a  Turk  with  a 
flowing  white  beard  made  his  appearance. 

"  My  dear  father,  is  it  you  ?  " 

"Why,  Horace,  Horace,  my  dear  boy,  where  do  you  come 
from,  what  miracle  is  this?"  And  in  a  moment  they  were 
clasped  in  each  other's  arms.  A  moment  later  a  tall  Nubian 
rushed  out  and  seized  Horace's  hand. 

"Why,  Martyn,  you  don't  mean  to  say  it  is  you  in  this  dis- 
guise?" 


THE    "  MISERICORDIA  "    AGAIN  377 

"It  is  indeed,  Horace.  I  am  delighted  to  see  you,  lad; 
and  you  too,  doctor.  I  had  never  thought  to  clap  eyes  on 
you  again;  "  and  he  shook  hands  heartily  with  Macfarlane,  as 
also  did  Mr.  Beveridge. 

"I  seem  to  be  in  a  dream,"  the  latter  said;  "how  do  you 
come  here,  what  has  happened?  " 

"I  may  say  the  same,  father;  but  first,  where  are  Miller, 
Tarleton,  and  the  crew?  " 

"They  are  all  down  in  the  hold,"  Martyn  said;  "they  are 
all  in  hiding." 

"I  have  a  friend  on  deck,  father;  he  is  the  son  of  one  of 
the  Turks  we  saved  at  Athens.  He  and  his  friends  saved  our 
lives,  and  have  been  concealing  us  since  they  got  us  away.  I 
expect  he  is  having  some  difficulty  with  the  man  who  calls 
himself  captain." 

"  Come  up  with  me  then,  Horace,  and  we  will  fetch  him 
down;  and  I  will  tell  Iskos  that  it  is  all  right." 

As  soon  as  they  reached  the  deck  Mr.  Beveridge  explained 
to  the  supposed  captain  that  these  were  the  friends  he  had 
come  to  find,  and  that  all  was  well. 

Martyn  had  also  come  up.  "  What  had  we  better  do  now, 
Martyn?  " 

Martyn  looked  up  at  the  sails,  and  at  the  water,  "  Fortu- 
nately the  wind  is  dying  out  fast,"  he  said.  "I  don't  think 
we  are  making  way  against  the  current  now,  and  we  shall  cer- 
tainly not  do  so  long.  Hold  on  a  few  minutes  longer,  Iskos, 
and  then  anchor.  It  will  seem  as  if  we  could  not  get  up 
against  the  stream  to  the  other  shipping.  If  you  see  a  boat 
coming  off,  let  us  know.  They  will  probably  be  sending  off 
to  look  at  our  papers;  but  perhaps  they  may  not  trouble  about 
it  till  we  get  up  to  the  regular  anchorage.  Now,  Mr.  Bever- 
idge, we  will  go  down  below  and  gladden  their  hearts  there." 

The  main-deck  was  filled  with  casks,  bales,  and  merchan- 
dise of  all  sorts,  and  the  hatchways  of  the  hold  covered  with 
sacks  of  flour.  Macfarlane  joined  them,  and  aided  Martyn 
and  Horace  in  removing  the  sacks.     Horace  saw  as  he  did  so 


378  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

that  what  appeared  a  solid  pile  was  really  hollow,  and  that  the 
hatchway  was  only  partially  closed  so  as  to  allow  a  certain 
amount  of  air  to  pass  down  below.  The  bags  were  but  partly 
removed  when  there  was  a  rush  from  below,  Miller  and  Tarle- 
ton  with  their  cutlasses  in  hand,  followed  by  the  sailors  with 
boarding-pikes  dashed  through  the  opening.  They  paused  in 
astonishment  upon  seeing  only  Martyn,  Mr.  Beveridge,  and 
three  Turkish  gentlemen,  but  as  they  recognized  Horace  and 
the  doctor,  the  officers  threw  down  their  swords  and  with  a 
shout  of  joy  seized  them  by  the  hand.  The  sailors  close 
behind  them  broke  into  a  cheer  which  swelled  into  a  roar  as 
the  men  below  gathered  the  news  that  their  two  officers  had 
returned. 

"The  men  can  come  up  between  decks,  Miller,"  Martyn 
said.  "  Let  them  have  a  stiff  ration  of  grog  all  round.  Boat- 
swain, see  that  the  sacks  are  piled  again  as  before,  leaving  two 
or  three  out  of  their  place  to  allow  the  men  to  go  down  again 
if  necessary.  If  the  word  is  passed  that  a  boat  is  coming  off, 
let  them  hurry  back  again  and  replace  the  sacks  carefully  after 
them  as  they  go  down." 

The  sailors  continued  pouring  up  through  the  hatchway, 
and  behind  them  came  the  two  Greeks,  whose  joy  at  seeing 
Horace  was  excessive. 

"Now,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said,  "let  us  adjourn  to  the  cabin 
and  hear  all  about  this  wonderful  story." 

On  entering  the  main  cabin  Horace  found  that  its  appear- 
ance, like  that  of  the  rest  of  the  ship,  had  been  completely 
altered,  all  the  handsome  fittings  had  been  removed,  and  the 
whole  of  the  woodwork  painted  with  what  he  thought  must 
have  been  a  mixture  of  white  paint  and  mud,  so  dirty  and 
dingy  did  it  appear. 

"Now,  father,  in  the  first  place  I  must  properly  introduce 
my  friend  Ahmed  to  you  all.  He  is  the  son  of  Osman  Bey, 
who  was  one  of  the  principal  Turks  of  the  party  we  took  to 
Tenedos,  as  no  doubt  you  remember;  it  is  to  him  and  his 
father,  aided  by  Fazli  Bey,  and  the  bimbashi  who  was  in  com- 


I  III'.    In  ><  ■  |  i  i|;     |  l.l.l.s     rill'.    STORY 


THE    "  MISERICORD  LA.  "    AGAIN  379 

mand  of  the  troops,  and  some  of  the  soldiers,  that  we  owe  our 
lives." 

This  was  said  in  Greek,  and  while  Mr.  Beveridge  was  ex- 
pressing his  gratitude  to  Ahmed,  Horace  repeated  the  same 
in  English  to  the  three  officers,  who  warmly  shook  hands  with 
the  young  Turk.  Marco  and  his  brother  placed  refreshments 
of  all  kinds  on  the  table. 

Ahmed  partook  of  them  sparingly,  and  then  said  to  Horace  : 
"Of  course  you  will  not  be  returning  with  me  now.  I  think 
I  had  better  be  going  on,  it  will  be  dark  before  I  have  done 
my  business  and  get  back  again;  and  besides,  the  boatmen 
will  be  wondering  at  my  long  stay  here." 

■  "I  am  afraid  your  father  will  think  us  horribly  ungrateful 
if  we  go  off  without  thanking  him  and  your  mother  for  all 
their  kindness  to  us,"  Horace  said;  "but  of  course  we  must 
be  getting  out  of  this  as  soon  as  we  can." 

"My  father  and  mother  will  be  delighted  to  hear  that  you 
have  so  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  got  out  of  your  difficul- 
ties," Ahmed  said,  "and  that  in  a  manner  from  which  no 
suspicion  can  possibly  arise  to  us.  What  we  have  done  has 
been  but  a  small  return  for  the  service  you  rendered  us." 

Mr.  Beveridge  added  his  warmest  thanks  to  those  of  Hor- 
ace, and  Ahmed  then  went  up  with  the  others  on  to  the  deck 
and  took  his  place  in  the  caique;  Horace  making  a  present  of 
a  small  gold  piece  to  each  of  the  boatmen.  Ahmed  said 
good-bye  to  him  and  the  doctor  in  Turkish,  expressing  the 
hope  that  when  they  got  back  to  Cyprus  they  would  write  to 
him,  a  message  that  Iskos  afterwards  translated  to  Horace. 
As  soon  as  he  had  rowed  away  the  rest  of  them  returned  to  the 
cabin. 

"And  now  for  the  story,"  Mr.  Beveridge  said  as  they  took 
their  places  round  the  table. 

"The  doctor  shall  tell  it,"  Horace  said.  "He  has  had  no 
chance  of  talking  for  the  last  fortnight,  and  it  is  only  fair  he 
should  have  his  turn  now." 

The  doctor  accordingly,  in    his  slow  and  deliberate  way, 


380  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

related  the  whole  story  of  their  adventures  from  the  time  thev 
landed  from  the  schooner  until  their  return  on  board,  a  narra- 
tion which  lasted  nearly  two  hours. 

Then  Martyn  related  what  had  happened  on  board  since. 
"You  know,"  he  said,  "that  directly  we  heard  the  firing  on 
shore  and  saw  the  boat  rowing  off  we  began  to  get  ready  to 
send  a  strong  party  off.  You  can  imagine  how  horrified  we 
were  when,  on  the  boat  coming  alongside,  we  found  you  were 
both  missing.  The  beggars  fired  away  at  us  as  we  rowed 
ashore,  but  they  bolted  before  we  reached  it,  and  when  we 
made  a  rush  into  the  village,  it  was  empty.  We  could  find  no 
one  to  ask  questions  of,  for,  as  we  found  afterwards,  they  had 
all  made  off  while  the  brigands  were  firing  at  us.  However, 
as  there  were  no  signs  of  you  it  was  evident  the  only  thing  to 
do  was  to  follow  the  ruffians,  and  off  we  set.  We  chased 
them  four  miles,  but  they  scattered  directly  they  left  the  vil- 
lage and  we  only  came  up  with  two  of  them.  Unfortunately 
they  showed  fight,  and  the  sailors  cut  them  down  before  we 
could  come  up. 

"  After  searching  about  for  some  time  we  thought  the  best 
plan  was  to  go  back  to  the  village.  There  we  quartered  our- 
selves among  the  houses,  and,  as  you  have  been  telling  us,  the 
man  came  with  a  letter.  We  noticed  how  you  had  worded  it 
and  had  underscored  the  names,  and  we  saw  the  fellows  did 
not  know  that  you  were  the  son  of  the  owner,  so  your  father 
pretended  to  hang  back  for  a  bit.  As  soon  as  the  man  had 
gone  off  with  the  message  we  thought  that  it  was  all  right,  and 
everyone  was  in  the  highest  spirits.  Of  course  there  was  noth- 
ing to  do  next  day,  but  the  following  morning  Mr.  Beveridge 
and  Miller  went  off  with  thirty  men,  as  the  time  named  for 
giving  you  up  was  one  o'clock. 

"We  began  to  expect  them  back  at  four,  and  as  the  hours 
went  on  I  was  in  a  regular  stew.  I  did  not  like  to  land,  and 
as  I  had  only  twenty  men  I  was  afraid  of  weakening  her  fur- 
ther, as  we  should  have  been  in  an  awkward  fix  if  a  Turkish 
man-of-war  had  come  along;  however,  at  nine  o'clock  I  sent 


THE    "  MISERICORDIA  "    AGAIN  381 

Tarleton  ashore  with  five  men  to  see  if  he  could  gather  some 
news  from  the  villagers,  who  had  all  come  back  again  soon 
after  the  brigands  had  left.  It  was  not  till  after  eleven 
o'clock  that  he  came  off,  with  the  news  that  the  party  had 
returned  and  had  heard  nothing  of  you. 

"Next  morning  one  of  the  boats  came  off  with  Mr.  Bever- 
idge.  Half  an  hour  before  a  Greek  had  come  in  and  stated 
that  he  was  one  of  the  party  bringing  you  down  to  the  place 
agreed  upon  when  they  were  suddenly  fired  upon  from  a  wood. 
Two  of  the  party  fell  dead  and  the  rest  ran  and  were  hotly 
pursued  for  some  distance.  He  was  unable  to  say  what  had 
become  of  you,  nor  did  he  know  who  the  men  were  who  had 
attacked  them,  except  that  they  were  certainly  Albanians.  We 
held  a  council,  and  then  I  started  off  with  Tarleton  and  ten  men 
and  Marco.  Mr.  Beveridge  wanted  to  go,  but  I  persuaded 
him  not  to,  for  it  was  morally  certain  that  we  should  not  find 
you,  and  all  we  could  hope  for  was  to  get  some  sort  of  clue, 
and  if  the  Albanians  were  still  in  the  neighbourhood  Marco 
would  have  opened  negotiations  with  them  for  a  ransom.  The 
man  who  had  brought  the  news  acted  as  guide.  We  found 
the  bodies  of  his  comrades  who  had  been  killed,  but  no  signs 
of  you,  which  was  a  comfort  in  one  way.  It  was  pretty  evi- 
dent that  you  had  both  been  carried  off. 

"We  had  taken  with  us  a  dozen  men  from  the  village  to 
which  you  were  to  have  been  sent,  and  we  offered  what  to  them 
must  have  been  a  big  reward  for  news  as  to  these  Albanians. 
So  after  finding  the  bodies  we  sent  them  off  in  different  direc- 
tions, and  went  back  to  their  village.  Late  in  the  evening 
they  straggled  in.  They  had  done  their  work  well,  spreading 
all  over  the  country  and  getting  hold  of  shepherds  and  char- 
coal-burners and  wood-cutters;  and  they  were  able  to  tell  us 
for  certain  that  the  Albanians  had  come  over  the  range  of  hills 
between  us  and  Thessaly.  They  had  been  doing  a  good  deal 
of  plundering  and  some  murdering,  had  destroyed  two  small 
villages  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  and  had  been  seen  soon 
after  the  hour  at  which  you  must  have  been  captured  making 


382  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

their  way  back.  They  assured  us  that  the  troops  of  AH  Pasha 
lay  in  the  plain  beyond  the  hills,  and  that,  doubtless,  the 
Albanians  had  taken  you  to  him.  We  had  a  good  long  rest  in 
the  afternoon,  and  as  I  knew  what  a  state  of  anxiety  your 
father  was  in  we  started  at  once  and  got  on  board  at  four 
o'clock  in  the  morning.  We  had  a  long  talk  over  what  was 
the  best  thing  to  be  done,  and  resolved  at  any  rate  to  sail  out 
of  the  bay  and  round  the  Cape,  and  then  keep  along  the  coast 
until  we  were  off  Thessaly. 

"As  soon  as  it  was  daylight  we  weighed  anchor.  The  wind 
was  so  light  that  it  took  us  two  days  to  get  there,  and  half 
that  time  at  least,  I  should  say,  the  men  were  in  the  boats 
tovf  ing.  Marco  had  volunteered  to  land  and  make  his  way  to 
the  Turkish  camp  to  try  to  find  out  what  had  become  of  you. 
We  landed  him  at  night;  he  bought  from  some  of  the  villagers 
a  suit  of  their  clothes,  and  in  twenty-four  hours  came  down 
again  to  the  boat  we  had  sent  ashore  for  him  with  the  news 
that  you  had  been  sent  to  Constantinople;  that  you  had  been 
taken  by  an  escort  of  cavalry  down  to  the  little  port  at  the 
mouth  of  the  river  that  flows  in  between  Ossa  and  Olympus; 
that  he  had  seen  some  of  the  soldiers  who  formed  your  escort, 
who  told  him  that  they  had  seen  you  go  on  board  a  Turkish 
brig-of-war  with  their  officer  and  two  of  their  comrades  who 
had  accompanied  you. 

"  This  was  horrible  news,  and  as  the  brig  had  got  four  days' 
start  there  was  little  chance  of  our  catching  her.  For  another 
three  days  we  were  almost  becalmed.  We  had  every  stitch  of 
canvas  set  and  yet  most  of  the  time  we  had  not  even  steerage- 
way.  The  men  behaved  splendidly,  and  all  the  time,  day  and 
night,  we  had  two  boats  out  ahead  towing;  and  on  the  fourth 
day  we  arrived  off  Tenedos.  Then  we  got  a  breeze  again,  and 
soon  afterwards  picked  up  a  fishing-boat.  From  them  we 
learned  that  the  brig  had  lain  becalmed  two  days  off  the  town, 
that  some  of  the  people  that  we  brought  from  Athens  had  gone 
out  with  little  presents  of  fruit  to  you  and  had  seen  you. 

"  We  anchored  that  night  a  short  distance  from  the  town, 


THE    "  MISERICORDIA  "    AGAIN  383 

for  there  were  no  Turkish  ships  of  war  there.  At  night  a  boat 
came  off  with  a  woman  whom  we  had  brought  from  Athens, 
and  she  told  us  that  her  husband,  a  discharged  soldier,  had 
gone  to  Constantinople  to  tell  some  of  the  people  whom  we 
brought  from  Athens  that  two  of  our  officers  had  been  capt- 
ured, and  to  ask  them  to  do  what  they  could  to  save  your 
lives.  We  did  not  think  anything  of  it,  though  of  course  it 
was  pleasant  to  see  that  some  of  the  people  were  grateful,  and 
Mr.  Beveridge  made  her  a  handsome  present,  which  I  will  do 
her  the  justice  to  say  she  refused  until  he  almost  had  to  force 
it  upon  her.  Knowing  how  bitter  the  Sultan  is  against  for- 
eigners in  the  Greek  service,  and  that  after  the  harm  we  had 
done  he  was  not  likely  to  be  specially  well  disposed  towards 
us,  the  thing  seemed  almost  hopeless.  The  two  Greeks  vol- 
unteered if  we  would  put  them  ashore  to  the  west  of  the  straits 
to  make  their  way  to  Constantinople,  but  as  it  did  not  seem 
to  us  that  they  could  do  any  good  that  idea  was  given  up. 

"At  last  Tarleton  proposed  that  we  should  disguise  the 
schooner  and  go  up  ourselves.  He  admitted  that  the  betting 
was  a  hundred  to  one  against  our  being  able  to  help  you  in 
any  way,  especially  as  it  was  almost  certain  you  would  have 
been  hung  a  few  hours  after  you  got  there.  Still,  if  that  had 
been  put  off,  and  you  should  be  in  a  prison,  there  was  just  the 
possibility  we  might  land  at  night,  make  our  way  to  the  prison, 
blow  in  the  gate,  get  you  out,  and  make  our  way  across  the 
country  to  some  place  where  the  boats  would  be  waiting  for 
us,  and  be  on  board  before  daylight.  It  was  certainly  a  des- 
perate undertaking,  but  as  none  of  us  could  think  of  any  other 
plan,  we  agreed  it  would  be  well  to  try  it,  so  we  sailed  at  once 
to  Athens. 

"We  had  a  great  debate  whether  it  would  not  be  better  to 
buy  some  Turkish  brig  that  had  been  brought  in  as  a  prize; 
but  we  finally  agreed  to  stick  to  the  schooner,  for  if  we  were 
discovered  on  the  way,  or  if  we  did  get  you  on  board,  we 
should  have  to  sail,  and  we  knew  that  nothing  the  Turks  have 
got  could  outsail  the  schooner.     We  worked  hard  at  Athens. 


384  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

We  sent  down  the  tall  spars,  got  those  clumsy  poles  up  in  their 
place,  got  up  yards,  and  turned  her  into  a  brig.  Then  we 
bought  a  lot  of  old  sails,  and,  as  you  see,  turned  her  into  as 
lubberly-looking  a  craft  as  you  will  meet  even  in  these  seas. 
Then  we  filled  her  up  between  decks  with  goods  we  bought 
out  of  some  prizes  brought  in  by  the  Hydriots,  dirtied  her 
decks,  threw  acid  down  her  sides  to  take  off  the  paint,  took 
down  the  cabin  fittings,  as  you  see,  and  daubed  over  the  wood- 
work with  dirty  paint.  It  was  enough  to  make  one  cry  to  see 
the  Misericordia  spoilt.  It  was  like  disguising  a  girl  of  fash- 
ion as  a  dirty  gipsy. 

"While  we  had  been  at  this  work  the  two  Greeks  had  been 
on  shore,  and  had  gathered  up  eight  men  who  spoke  Turkish 
as  well  as  Greek.  The  most  intelligent  we  made  captain,  with 
two  officers  under  him.  We  got  the  papers  from  a  Turkish 
prize,  a  brig  about  the  same  size  which  had  been  captured  by 
the  Hydriots  on  her  way  from  Rhodes  to  Constantinople. 
Then  it  was  agreed  that  your  father  should  disguise  himself  as 
a  Turk,  a  respectable  land-owner  of  Rhodes,  going  as  a  pas- 
senger to  Constantinople,  with  myself  as  his  Nubian  servant. 
That  way  we  could  stay  on  deck.  When  all  was  ready  we 
started.  The  crew  kept  on  deck  till  we  got  near  the  Darda- 
nelles, and  then  stowed  themselves  away  in  the  hold  as  you 
saw.  We  were  stopped  at  the  castle,  but  as  the  papers  were 
all  right  there  was  no  suspicion  excited,  and  nothing  happened 
till  Iskos  came  down  and  told  us  a  caique  was  coming  along- 
side, and  then  a  minute  or  two  later  we  heard  your  voice." 


ALL    ENDS    WELL  385 


CHAPTER  XXII 

ALL    ENDS    WELL 

THE  hours  passed  on.  It  was  still  a  dead  calm,  and,  as 
Martyn  had  thought  likely,  no  visit  was  paid  by  the  Turk- 
ish port  officials,  as  the  brig  was  lying  a  good  mile  below  the 
usual  anchorage,  and  would  no  doubt  move  up  to  the  wharves 
as  soon  as  she  got  the  wind.  Horace  went  to  the  main  deck 
and  gave  a  sketch  of  his  adventures  to  Tom  Burdett,  who  he 
knew  would  retail  them  to  the  crew. 

"Well,  Mr.  Horace,"  the  boatswain  said,  "you  are  cer- 
tainly a  good  one  at  getting  out  of  scrapes." 

"I  had  nothing  to  do  with  getting  out  of  it,  Tom;  it  was 
all  done  without  any  effort  on  my  part." 

"It  was  mighty  well  done,  sir,  and  I  would  not  have  given 
them  Turks  credit  for  putting  such  a  plan  together.  I  always 
liked  the  chaps  myself  when  I  served  with  them  as  a  young 
fellow  in  that  Egyptian  business  under  Abercrombie.  Good- 
natured  sort  of  coves  they  was,  and  wonderful  good-tempered 
considering  what  shocking  bad  grub  they  had;  but  I  never 
looked  upon  them  as  sharp.  Still,  there  you  are;  you  see,  one 
never  knows  what  a  chap  can  do  till  he  is  pushed.  Well, 
there  is  one  thing,  Mr.  Horace,  I  don't  care  how  many  Turk- 
ish fugitives  we  may  take  on  board  this  ship  in  future,  they 
will  be  heartily  welcome  by  every  man  Jack  on  board  for  the 
sake  of  what  these  fellows  did  for  you.  I  wish  I  had  known 
it  when  you  first  came  on  board.  I  should  have  liked  to 
have  given  that  young  Turk  a  hearty  shake  of  the  hand,  and 
the  men  would  have  given  him  as  good  a  cheer  as  ever  you 
heard  come  from  fifty  British  sailors." 

"It  is  just  as  well  you  didn't  know,  Tom,  for  if  they  had 
given  a  cheer  together  on  deck  it  would  have  been  heard  from 
shore  to  shore,  and  everyone  who  heard  it  would  have  known 
that  it  never  came  from  Turkish  throats." 


380  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

As  soon  as  it  was  dark  the  anchor  was  weighed,  and  the  ves- 
sel drifted  down  with  the  current,  a  boat  towing  ahead  so  as 
to  give  her  steerage-way,  while  the  rest  of  the  crew  set  to  work 
to  unbend  her  sails. 

"You  are  not  going  to  put  up  her  own  sails,  are  you,  Cap- 
tain Martyn?"  Horace  asked,  for  as  soon  as  it  got  dusk 
Martyn  had  removed  the  stain  from  his  skin,  and  exchanged 
the  Nubian  attire  for  his  uniform. 

"  No,  Horace,  the  white  sails  would  tell  their  tale  at  once. 
We  got  two  suits  at  Athens,  one  that  miserable  lot  you  saw 
on  us  to-day,  the  other  we  had  cut  up  to  fit  us  as  we  are  sparred 
now.  They  are  not  very  clean,  but  that  won't  affect  her 
sailing,  and  though  I  don't  mean  to  say  she  will  walk  along 
as  she  would  under  her  proper  canvas,  I  fancy  she  is  likely  to 
sail  as  fast  as  anything  we  shall  meet.  I  shall  only  get  her 
foresail,  a  jib,  and  that  square  top-sail  on  her,  as  we  want  to 
go  along  as  slowly  as  possible.  I  want  to  manage  to  anchor 
below  Gallipoli  after  sunset;  or  if  I  can't  manage  that  I  shall 
anchor  a  mile  or  two  this  side  of  the  town,  so  as  not  to  be 
visited  by  any  of  the  port  officers.  Then  when  it  gets  quite 
dark  we  will  get  up  all  sail  and  run  down  the  straits.  It  is 
against  the  rules  to  pass  through  at  night,  and  if  the  forts 
catch  sight  of  us  no  doubt  they  will  send  a  few  shots  after  us, 
but  we  must  risk  that.  It  is  not  easy  to  hit  a  moving  mark 
when  it  is  so  dark  that  you  can  scarcely  see  her  outline.  There 
are  half  a  dozen  of  their  ships-of-war  lying  abreast  of  the  forts. 
We  must  keep  as  far  as  we  dare  over  on  the  other  shore.  I 
am  not  afraid  of  the  ships.  We  shall  be  a  mile  away  before 
the  crews  wake  up  and  load,  but  I  expect  they  keep  a  pretty 
sharp  look-out  in  the  forts,  though  most  likely  their  attention 
is  chiefly  directed  below  them." 

It  took  a  couple  of  hours'  work  to  unbend  all  the  sails  and 
bend  on  fresh  ones.  Horace  spent  the  evening  in  the  cabin 
chatting  with  his  father,  and  when  the  others  came  down  at 
ten  o'clock  for  a  glass  of  grog  he  heard  that  the  boat  had  been 
run  up  and  housed,  and  that  the  brig  was  now  under  easy  sail. 


ALL    ENDS    WELL  387 

"There  is  very  little  wind,"  Martyn  said,  "but  there  is 
enough  to  give  steerage-way.  I  shall  not  count  you  in  for 
duty  until  to-morrow." 

"Oh,  I  am  ready  to  take  my  watch  as  usual.  I  have  been 
living  a  very  lazy  life  for  the  last  three  weeks,  and  shall  be 
very  glad  to  be  on  duty  again." 

"  I  shall  get  the  guns  up  the  first  thing  in  the  morning, 
Miller.  We  will  throw  a  tarpaulin  over  them  when  we  get 
into  the  narrow  part  of  the  straits." 

"Will  you  have  the  pivot-gun  up  too?  " 

"Yes,  I  think  so;  if  we  have  to  fight,  we  may  as  well  fight 
as  hard  as  we  can.  When  we  get  it  mounted  we  can  put  a  few 
barrels  along  each  side  of  it,  cover  the  whole  over  with  a  sail- 
cloth, and  stow  one  of  the  gigs  at  the  top  of  all.  No  one 
would  have  a  suspicion  that  there  was  a  gun  there  then,  and 
if  we  wanted  to  use  it  we  could  clear  it  in  a  minute." 

"The  Turkish  custom-house  officers  will  stare  in  the  morn- 
ing when  they  see  the  brig  gone,"  Miller  said,  "and  will 
wonder  what  has  become  of  her." 

"  If  they  think  of  her  at  all,  Miller,  they  will  think  she  has 
got  up  sail  at  daylight  and  gone  up  the  Bosphorus  on  her  way 
to  Varna  or  one  of  the  Black  Sea  ports." 

"  It  would  require  a  good  deal  more  breeze  than  there  is 
now." 

"Yes,  I  did  not  think  of  that.  Well,  then,  perhaps  they 
will  suppose  that  we  made  a  try  to  go  up  to  the  anchorage  as 
soon  as  the  day  began  to  break,  but  simply  drifted  back.  You 
see  another  half  a  mile  astern  would  take  us  round  that  point 
there  and  out  of  sight  of  them.  However,  we  don't  care  much 
what  they  think.  They  are  not  likely  to  be  interested  enough 
in  the  matter  to  bother  themselves  about  it  one  way  or  the 
other,  and  certainly  not  likely  to  do  the  only  thing  that  would 
be  of  any  consequence  to  us,  I  mean  send  down  a  messenger 
to  Gallipoli  telling  them  to  overhaul  us  if  we  came  down  the 
straits.  Now,  then,  the  watch  on  deck;  the  others  turn  in.  I 
am  sure,  Mr.  Beveridge,  you  will  be  all  the  better  for  a  quiet 


388  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

night's  rest.  You  have  certainly  not  slept  much  for  the  last 
month,  and  you  have  been  getting  thinner  and  thinner  daily, 
while  you  have  also  long  arrears  in  the  way  of  food  to  make 
up.  It  has  been  quite  pitiful  to  see  the  faces  of  the  Greeks 
as  you  sent  away  plate  after  plate  untouched." 

"I  shall  soon  be  myself  again,  Martyn,  and  even  one  good 
night's  rest  will,  I  am  sure,  do  wonders  for  me." 

"We  have  been  getting  quite  uneasy  about  your  father," 
Miller  said  as  he  and  Horace  went  up  on  deck  for  the  middle 
watch. 

"Yes,  he  looks  sadly  broken  down,  Miller.  Directly  he 
had  taken  off  that  beard  I  was  quite  shocked;  he  looks  years 
older." 

"We  have  been  really  anxious  about  him.  He  would  turn 
up  three  or  four  times  during  the  night  watches  and  walk  the 
deck  for  an  hour  or  two  talking  to  one  or  other  of  us  as  if  he 
could  not  stop  alone  in  his  cabin.  Neither  Martyn  nor  I  ever 
had  the  slightest  idea  of  finding  you  were  alive  when  we  got 
here,  and  still  less  of  getting  you  out.  But  when  Tarleton 
proposed  disguising  the  schooner  and  coming  up,  he  caught 
at  the  idea  so  eagerly  that  we  fell  in  with  it  at  once.  It 
seemed  to  us  both  rather  a  mad  sort  of  business,  but  we  should 
not  have  cared  what  it  was  so  that  it  would  but  rouse  him  up; 
for  from  the  time  when  we  first  got  word  that  you  had  been 
taken  to  the  Turks,  till  Tarleton  made  that  proposal  at  Tene- 
dos,  he  had  scarcely  spoken  a  word.  He  cheered  up  for  an 
hour  or  two  when  Marco  brought  news  that  at  any  rate  you 
had  not  been  killed  at  Ali  Pasha's  camp,  but  had  been  sent 
on  to  Constantinople;  but  that  lasted  for  a  very  short  time, 
for  he  soon  saw  that  so  far  from  improving  your  chances,  it 
had  lessened  them.  Ali  might  have  taken  a  handsome  sum 
for  your  ransom,  or  your  guards  might  have  been  bribed; 
anyhow,  there  would  have  been  a  much  better  chance  of  get- 
ting you  away  from  his  camp  than  from  a  prison  in  Constan- 
tinople. 

"  Of  course  we  did  all  we  could  to  cheer  him,  and,  I  am 


ALL    ENDS    WELL  389 

afraid,  told  some  awful  crammers  as  to  the  easy  job  it  would 
be  to  get  you  out.  Still,  the  plan  did  do  him  good.  It  gave 
him  something  to  think  about,  as  at  Athens  we  were  constantly 
thinking  of  something  or  other  that  he  could  go  ashore  and 
see  about.  Since  we  sailed  from  there  he  has  been  in  a  sort 
of  fever,  walking  restlessly  about  the  deck,  going  down  to  the 
cabin  and  coming  up  again  twenty  times  every  hour,  worrying 
about  the  wind,  and  complaining  at  the  boat's  loss  of  speed. 
He  took  to  Tarleton  most,  because  he  was  nearest  your  age, 
I  think.  He  talked  to  him  several  times  about  you  as  a  child, 
and  seemed  specially  unhappy  because  he  had  seen  so  little 
of  you  up  to  the  time  when  he  bought  you  that  first  craft  you 
had.  The  two  Greeks  were  terribly  concerned  about  him. 
They  are  two  fine  fellows  those.  They  were  as  gentle  as  wo- 
men. Well,  it  has  been  an  anxious  time  for  us  all.  Even  the 
men  have  felt  for  him,  and  it  was  quite  curious  to  see  how 
silent  the  ship  became  when  he  was  on  deck.  They  seemed  to 
speak  almost  in  whispers,  and  I  have  not  heard  a  laugh  for- 
ward from  the  hour  that  you  and  the  doctor  were  missed.  I 
was  glad  he  was  taken  with  you,  for  he  is  a  good  fellow,  and 
it  was  a  comfort  to  know  that  you  were  together." 

"It  was  a  great  pull,"  Horace  agreed.  "He  was  just  the 
same  all  the  time  as  he  is  on  board,  quiet  and  slow  in  his  talk, 
but  with  an  occasional  gleam  of  humour.  It  has  been  rather 
hard  on  him,  too,  because,  from  the  day  we  first  landed,  there 
has  always  been  someone  with  us  who  could  speak  Greek,  and 
it  is  very  slow  for  a  man  sitting  listening  to  talk  that  he  can't 
understand,  waiting  for  bits  to  be  translated  to  him.  Still,  he 
never  showed  that  he  minded." 

"Yes,  that  must  have  been  very  annoying,"  Miller  agreed, 
"especially  when  the  talk  was  about  matters  that  concerned 
his  life.  It  makes  you  feel  so  helpless  and  baby-like  to  have 
everything  managed  for  you  and  to  be  able  to  do  nothing 
yourself.  I  don't  think  he  took  kindly  to  that  Turkish  dress. 
I  le  dipped  away  and  changed  it  before  he  had  been  on  board 
five  minutes,  while  you  kept  yours  on  till  you  turned  in  for  a 
nap  two  hours  ago." 


390  IN   GREEK   WATERS 

"  I  was  comfortable  enough,  and  never  gave  the  clothes  a 
thought  after  I  had  worn  them  an  hour  or  two,"  Horace 
laughed.  "  Of  course  one  felt  very  baggy  about  the  legs,  and 
I  certainly  should  not  like  to  go  aloft  in  the  things.  No 
wonder  the  Turks  are  such  clumsy  sailors  with  their  legs  in 
bags  like  that;  but  I  did  notice  that  the  doctor  never  seemed 
to  move  about  naturally.  I  expect  if  he  could  have  talked 
away  as  I  did  he  would  not  have  thought  of  them  so  much. 
The  wind  is  heading  us  a  bit." 

"Yes,  it  is;  "  and  Miller  gave  the  orders  for  the  sheets  and 
braces  to  be  hauled  aft. 

"  I  should  not  be  surprised  if  it  is  in  the  south  by  morning." 

"  That  would  be  all  the  better,  for  then  we  could  choose  our 
own  time  for  getting  off  Gallipoli.  We  must  get  up  all  our 
sail  when  it  is  daylight  and  make  a  show  of  doing  our  best; 
but  when  one  is  tacking  backwards  and  forwards  one  can 
always  manage  either  to  keep  a  little  off  the  wind  or  so  close 
into  it  as  pretty  well  to  deaden  one's  way  through  the  water." 

Horace  turned  in  at  four  o'clock,  and  an  hour  and  a  half 
later  heard  a  trampling  of  feet  on  deck,  and  knew  that  the 
watch  was  making  sail.  When  he  went  up  at  eight  o'clock 
the  wind  was  blowing  briskly  from  the  south-east,  and  the 
schooner  was  making  a  long  leg  out  from  the  land.  He  was 
now  able  to  see  the  set  of  the  sails  that  had  been  bent  on  the 
evening  before.  The  lower  sails  were  of  the  same  size  as  the 
schooner's  original  suit,  and  fitted  her  well.  The  upper  sails 
contained  less  than  half  the  canvas  of  her  old  ones,  but  her 
spread  wras  sufficient  to  lay  her  over  well  and  to  send  her 
through  the  water  at  an  encouraging  rate  of  speed. 

"She  is  not  going  along  so  badly,  is  she,  Horace?"  Martyn 
asked. 

"  No,  indeed.  Of  course  in  a  light  wind  the  loss  of  all  that 
upper  canvas  will  tell,  but  at  present  she  is  doing  well  enough 
for  anything,  quite  well  enough  for  anything  we  are  likely  to 
meet." 

"  We  have  been  holding  our  own  for  the  last  two  hours  with 


ALL    EXDS    WELL  391 

that  felucca  on  the  other  tack,  and  we  have  been  purposely 
sailing  her  a  good  bit  off  the  wind.  We  could  overhaul  her 
soon  enough  if  we  liked,  and  most  of  those  boats  are  fast;  but 
we  don't  want  to  get  along  too  quickly.  If  the  wind  freshens 
any  more  I  shall  tow  a  sail  alongside  to  deaden  her  way  a  bit. 
I  want  to  arrive  off  Gallipoli  about  half  an  hour  after  sunset." 

Two  of  the  broadside  guns  had  just  been  brought  up  and 
put  in  position,  and  by  midday  the  other  six  and  the  pivot- 
gun  were  in  place,  and  the  latter  hidden  by  a  screen  of  barrels 
and  one  of  the  gigs,  bottom  upwards,  laid  over  it.  The  decks 
had  been  scrubbed,  but,  as  Martyn  said  mournfully,  it  would 
take  weeks  to  get  them  back  to  their  former  colour.  The 
ropes  still  hung  slackly,  and  although  the  schooner  looked  a 
good  deal  more  ship-shape  than  when  Horace  had  first  seen 
her  on  the  previous  day,  she  was  still  as  untidy  as  the  average 
of  vessels  in  Eastern  waters.  Her  course  was  timed  well,  and 
the  sun  had  already  sunk  some  time,  when  she  dropped  anchor 
a  short  distance  outside  the  craft  lying  off  Gallipoli. 

"  I  see  some  of  their  ships  of  war  have  come  up  from  below 
since  we  passed  three  days  ago.  However,  there  is  no  fear 
of  their  sending  a  boat  off  to-night,"  Martyn  said  as  they  gath- 
ered in  the  cabin  for  dinner,  "and  they  will  naturally  suppose 
that  we  anchored  so  far  out  because  we  were  going  on  down 
the  straits  the  first  thing  in  the  morning." 

Mr.  Beveridge  had  remained  in  his  berth  all  day.  The 
reaction  after  the  long  excitement  and  anxiety  told  severely 
upon  him.  Although  he  had  got  up  the  first  thing,  he  had 
been  obliged  to  lie  down  again,  being  too  weak  to  stand.  The 
doctor,  however,  told  Horace  that  this  was  only  to  be  expected. 

"  He  will  want  a  week's  quiet  and  plenty  of  nourishment  to 
set  him  on  his  legs  again.  He  has  been  fairly  worn  out.  But 
there  is  no  fever  about  him,  and  we  can  trust  the  Greeks  to 
feed  him  up.  It  is  just  as  well  that  he  should  keep  perfectly 
quiet  to-day  and  sleep  as  much  as  he  can.  To-morrow  I  hope 
I  shall  be  able  to  get  him  up  on  deck.  Then  chatting  with 
you  and  taking  an  interest  in  things  will  rouse  him." 


392  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

At  nine  o'clock  sail  was  again  made  and  the  anchor  weighed. 
The  wind  had  gone  down  very  much,  and  had  veered  round 
to  the  south,  which  enabled  them  to  lay  their  course  through 
the  greater  part  of  the  straits.  Two  men  were  placed  in  the 
chains  with  lead-lines.  The  lights  were  all  extinguished,  with 
the  exception  of  the  binnacle.  The  tarpaulins  were  removed 
from  the  guns  and  the  barrels  and  gig  from  around  the  pivot- 
gun.  The  watch  off  duty  was  sent  below,  and  two  of  the 
keenest-eyed  men  on  board  placed  as  look-outs  at  the  bow. 
The  European  shore,  which  was  comparatively  high,  could  be 
made  out  as  a  dark  bank,  but  the  Asiatic  shore,  which  was 
low,  could  scarcely  be  seen.  The  chart  was  laid  on  the  cabin 
table,  the  port-holes  having  all  been  carefully  covered  with 
curtains,  and  a  tarpaulin  laid  over  the  skylight. 

The  men  in  the  chains  kept  on  taking  soundings,  Horace 
going  backwards  and  forwards  between  them  and  the  quarter- 
deck with  the  news  as  to  the  depth  of  water.  Miller  was 
in  charge  of  the  deck,  while  Martyn  paid  frequent  visits  to 
the  cabin  to  determine  their  position  on  the  chart  according 
to  the  depth  of  the  soundings.  There  was  no  fear  of  their 
meeting  with  any  craft  until  they  approached  the  forts;  but 
in  the  darkness  it  was  necessary  to  be  very  careful,  as  the  water 
was  shallow  on  the  eastern  side,  and  were  they  to  run  on  to  a 
shoal,  going  as  they  were  with  the  force  of  the  current,  there 
would  be  little  chance  of  getting  off  again,  unless  by  lightening 
the  ship.  There  was  just  wind  enough  to  give  her  steerage- 
way.  Men  were  stationed  in  readiness  to  let  go  the  anchor 
instantly,  should  it  be  necessary;  while  ten  men,  in  the  long- 
boat, paddled  gently  ahead  of  her,  just  keeping  a  tow-rope 
taut  in  readiness  to  tow  her  instantly  in  any  direction  that 
might  be  required.  None  of  them  were  acquainted  with  the 
set  of  the  current,  and  Martyn  had  only  the  depth  of  water 
and  the  dim  outline  of  the  banks  to  direct  his  course  by. 
.Several  times,  when  the  water  shoaled,  the  crew  of  the  boat 
were  directed  to  row  vigorously  in  the  direction  of  the  right 
bank ;  and  once  or  twice  there  were  but  a  few  feet  under  the 


ALL    ENDS    WELL  393 

keel.,  and  a  keen  feeling  of  anxiety  was  experienced  on  board 
until  the  leads-man  announced  that  the  water  was  deepening. 
At  last,  according  to  Martyn's  calculations  they  could  not  be 
far  away  from  the  formidable  forts. 

The  boat  was  directed  to  fall  astern  and  hang  on  to  the 
rope,  in  readiness  either  to  come  on  board  or  to  carry  out  any 
orders  that  might  be  given.  The  crew  on  deck  were  told  to 
take  axes  and  capstan-bars,  so  that  should  they  drive  down 
against  one  of  the  Turkish  ships  they  could  fend  the  schooner 
off  as  much  as  possible,  or  cut  away  any  rope  that  might  catch. 
They  were  directed  to  stand  perfectly  still,  and  not  a  word 
was  to  be  spoken  whatever  happened.  The  greatest  danger 
lay  in  the  fact  that  most  of  the  ships  of  war  were  lying  above 
the  forts,  and  that,  consequently,  should  an  alarm  be  given  by 
them,  the  gunners  at  the  batteries  would  be  in  readiness  to 
pour  in  their  fire  upon  her  as  she  passed. 

"The  ground  to  our  right  looks  much  higher  than  it  did, 
Miller.  I  think  we  must  have  been  drifting  a  good  deal  over 
towards  that  side." 

"I  think  so  too,"  Miller  agreed.  "I  have  been  fancying 
that  we  were  getting  over  that  way  ever  since  we  stopped 
sounding." 

"At  any  rate  we  must  take  our  chance,"  Martyn  said.  "I 
daren't  sound  again;  the  splash  would  attract  attention  half  a 
mile  away  on  a  quiet  night  like  this.  Besides,  we  could  not 
tow  her  the  other  way  now;  we  must  take  our  chance.  It  is 
not  likely  they  are  keeping  much  of  a  look-out  on  board.  We 
might  pass  within  twenty  yards  of  a  vessel  without  being  noticed 
on  such  a  night  as  this.  I  will  stay  at  the  helm,  Miller. 
Her  sails  are  still  full,  and  we  have  got  steerage-way.  Do 
you  go  up  into  the  bow.  Let  two  of  the  men  take  their  boots 
off,  and  if  they  make  out  anything  ahead,  let  one  of  them  run 
to  me  like  lightning  with  orders  whether  to  port  or  starboard 
the  helm." 

The  conversation  was  carried  on  in  the  lowest  tone.  Miller 
stole  lightly  forward;  Tarleton  and  Horace  were  already  there, 
one  on  each  bow,  straining  their  eyes  into  the  darkness. 


394  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

"We  are  a  long  way  over  on  this  side,  Miller,  I  don't  believe 
that  high  ground  over  there  is  more  than  two  or  three  hundred 
yards  away." 

"That  is  just  what  I  have  been  saying,  Tarleton.  The 
current  must  have  set  us  across  tremendously.  Martyn  is  at 
the  helm,  and  you  see  we  are  heading  off  that  shore,  but  I 
don't  think  we  are  going  more  than  a  couple  of  knots  through 
the  water." 

In  five  minutes  Tarleton  whispered : 

"I  think  there  is  something  dark  just  over  the  cathead." 

At  the  same  moment  Horace  stepped  from  the  other  side. 

"There  is  a  ship  a  short  way  ahead,  Miller,  unless  I  am 
mistaken." 

"  By  Jove,  so  there  is !  "  Miller  said,  looking  out.  "  We  shall 
never  be  able  to  clear  her  with  the  current  taking  us  down." 

He  had  kicked  off  his  own  shoes  when  he  reached  the  bow, 
thinking  it  better  himself  to  carry  any  message. 

"Port  your  helm,  Martyn,"  he  said  as  he  ran  up.  "There 
are  two  craft  ahead,  and  we  can  never  clear  the  outside  one 
in  this  current.     Our  only  chance  is  to  run  between  them." 

Martyn  had  jammed  the  helm  down  as  Miller  spoke. 

"Keep  it  there,"  Martyn  said  to  the  helmsman,  and  sprang 
to  the  bulwark  to  look  out  himself.  "That  is  enough,"  he 
said;  "straighten  her  now,  just  as  she  is.  You  con  her  from 
the  other  side,  Miller." 

All  on  board  saw  the  two  vessels  now.  By  their  height  and 
bulk  they  were  evidently  large  frigates  or  men-of-war.  They 
were  not  fifty  yards  away,  and  were  about  the  same  distance 
apart.  Martyn  pulled  off  his  jacket  and  threw  it  over  the 
binnacle,  as  its  light  would  have  been  at  once  noticed  by  any- 
one looking  down  from  the  lofty  hulls.  Noiselessly  the 
schooner  passed  into  the  gap  between  the  ships;  not  the 
slightest  sound  was  heard  from  her  decks.  The  two  officers 
looked  anxiously  up  at  the  sails,  for  had  one  of  these  flapped, 
or  a  block  rattled,  the  sleepiest  look-out  must  have  noticed 
it.     The  silence  on  the  decks  of  the  Turkish  ships  was  as 


ALL    ENDS   WELL  395 

profound  as  that  on  the  schooner.  Rapidly  the  latter  slid 
between  them,  the  current  taking  her  along  faster  than  the 
wind.  A  minute  more  and  she  was  beyond  them;  still  no 
hail  was  heard.  Another  minute  and  they  loomed  dark  and 
indistinct  behind  her. 

"Thank  God  for  that!"  Miller  said  in  a  whisper  as  he 
crossed  the  deck  to  Martyn. 

"Yes,  indeed;  it  was  touch  and  go.  I  expect  they  have 
only  an  anchor  watch.  Most  likely  they  are  asleep;  they 
would  know  that  nothing  could  come  up  the  straits  with  this 
light  breeze.  I  think,  Miller,  those  are  the  two  eighty-gun 
ships  we  noticed  as  we  came  up.  They  were  moored  a  good 
bit  outside  the  others;  in  which  case  we  have  a  clear  course 
before  us." 

"  Yes;  I  have  no  doubt  those  are  the  two,"  Miller  agreed. 

"Now  we  have  only  the  forts;  they  are  about  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  further  down.  Go  forward,  please,  and  tell  the  men  not 
to  move  till  they  get  orders." 

Another  quarter  of  an  hour  passed,  and  Martyn  felt  sure 
that  they  were  now  well  beyond  the  forts.  For  a  few  minutes 
longer  he  held  on,  and  then  passed  the  word  along  the  deck 
that  the  danger  was  over.  Now  that  they  knew  their  exact 
position  there  was  no  longer  any  occasion  for  sounding.  The 
men  in  the  boat  were  called  up,  and  the  watch  off  duty  ordered 
below,  and  when  morning  broke  the  land  was  far  behind  them. 
A  brisk  wind  had  sprung  up  from  the  south-east,  and  the 
vessel  was  just  able  to  lay  her  course  for  Athens. 

The  doctor  had  remained  below  during  their  passage  through 
the  straits. 

"  I  should  only  have  been  in  the  way  if  I  had  been  on  deck," 
he  said  when  Horace  chaffed  him  for  taking  matters  so  easily. 
"When  a  man  can  do  no  good,  it  is  always  better  for  him  to 
get  out  of  the  way;  and  after  all  there  is  no  great  pleasure  in 
standing  for  hours  afraid  to  move,  and  without  any  duty  to 
perform;  so  I  just  chatted  for  a  bit  with  your  father,  and 
directly    I    saw   the   sleeping   draught   I   had  given  him  was 


396  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

beginning  to  take  effect  I  turned  in  myself,  and  had  as  com- 
fortable a  sleep  as  ever  I  had  in  my  life.  After  sleeping  on 
sofas  for  three  weeks,  in  that  heathen  sort  of  way,  it  was  a 
comfort  to  get  between  sheets  again." 

"Well,  but  you  went  to  bed  the  night  before,  doctor?" 
"That  was  so,"  the  doctor  agreed.  "But  a  good  thing  is 
just  as  good  the  second  time  as  it  is  the  first — better,  perhaps. 
The  first  time  the  novelty  of  a  thing  prevents  you  altogether 
enjoying  it.  I  knew  very  well  that  if  we  ran  into  any  of  the 
Turkish  ships,  or  the  forts  opened  fire  at  us,  I  was  like  to  hear 
it  plainly  enough." 

"And  would  you  have  lain  there  then,  doctor?  " 
"No,  lad.      I  would  have  had  my  duties  to  perform;  and  I 
would  have  dressed  and  gone  into  the  main  deck  at  once,  with 
my  instruments  ready  to  do  anything  I  could  for  those  that 
required  it." 

"Have  you  seen  my  father  this  morning,  doctor?  " 
"Yes;  and  I  am  glad  to  say  that  he  is  all  the  better  for  his 
two  nights'  sleep.  His  pulse  is  stronger,  and  I  shall  get  him 
up  here  after  breakfast.  The  news  that  we  were  fairly  out  to 
sea,  and  that  all  danger  was  over,  was  better  for  him  than  any 
medicine.  Well,  lad,  we  did  not  think  eight-and-forty  hours 
ago  that  we  would  be  racing  down  the  /Egean  again,  on  board 
the  Misericordia,  by  this  time.  We  have  had  a  wonderful 
escape  of  it  altogether,  and  I  would  not  like  to  go  through  it 
again  for  enough  money  to  set  me  up  for  life  in  Scotland. 
When  we  were  on  board  that  Turkish  brig,  on  our  way  to 
Constantinople,  I  would  not  have  given  a  bawbee  for  our 
chances." 

When  they  arrived  at  Athens  the  Greek  sailors  who  had  per- 
sonated Turks  were  landed.  Mr.  Beveridge  was  unequal  to 
the  exertion  of  going  ashore;  but  day  after  day  he  was  visited 
by  politicians,  military  leaders,  and  others.  After  a  fortnight 
spent  there,  Dr.  Macfarlane  said  to  him : 

"It  is  no  use,  sir,  my  giving  you  medicines  and  trying  to 
build  you  up,  if  you  are  going  on  as  you  are   now  doing. 


ALL    ENDS    WELL  397 

You  are  losing  strength,  man,  instead  of  gaining  it.  Each 
morning  you  seem  a  little  better;  each  evening  you  are  fagged 
and  worn  out  by  these  importunate  beggars.  I  can  see  that  it 
worries  and  dispirits  you.  It  is  all  very  good  to  wish  well  to 
Greece,  Mr.  Beveridge;  but  unless  you  have  a  desire  to  be 
buried  in  Greek  soil,  the  sooner  you  are  out  of  this  the  better. 
It  is  not  so  much  change  of  air  as  change  of  thought  that  you 
require.  Go  anywhere,  so  that  it  is  to  some  place  where  you 
will  never  hear  the  name  of  Greece." 

"  I  think  you  are  right,  doctor.  The  worry  and  disappoint- 
ment has,  I  know,  been  telling  on  me  for  months.  Yes,  I  will 
definitely  decide  to  go  away,  at  any  rate  for  a  time.  Will  you 
ask  Captain  Martyn  to  come  down?  " 

"Captain  Martyn,"  he  went  on  when  the  latter  entered  the 
cabin,  "  the  doctor  tells  me  I  must  absolutely  get  away  from 
here." 

"I  am  quite  sure  that  he  is  right,  sir.  You  have  been  grad- 
ually wearing  yourself  out  ever  since  you  came  here." 

"I  think  we  will  go  back  to  England  in  the  first  place, 
Martyn.  I  have  no  doubt  more  bracing  air  will  do  me  good. 
Then  we  can  see  how  events  go  on  here." 

"  Yery  well,  sir.  I  think  we  shall  be  all  heartily  glad  to  be 
on  our  way  back." 

"You  had  better  go  ashore  at  once,  Martyn.  Take  Horace 
with  you,  and  go  to  my  agents.  You  know  they  have  always 
kept  the  papers  in  readiness  for  a  re-sale  of  the  vessel  back 
to  me.  Go  with  them  to  the  consulate  and  have  the  sale 
formally  registered.  1  will  write  a  note  for  you  to  take  to  my 
agent." 

Ten  minutes  later  the  gig  took  Martyn  and  Horace  ashore. 
They  returned  four  hours  later.  There  was  a  little  move  of 
excitement  among  the  crew  as  they  stepped  on  deck  again,  for 
through  the  Greeks,  who  had  heard  the  news  from  Mr.  Bever- 
idge, it  had  spread  forward.  On  reaching  the  deck  Martyn 
went  to  the  signal  locker.  "Now,  Miller,"  he  said,  "down 
with  that  flag." 


39<S  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

The  Greek  flag  fluttered  down  from  the  peak,  and  as  the 
British  ensign  was  run  up  in  its  place  Martyn  took  off  his  cap 
and  shouted:  "Three  cheers  for  the  old  flag,  lads!"  and  the 
shout,  given  with  all  the  strength  of  the  lungs  of  officers  and 
crew,  showed  how  hearty  was  the  pleasure  that  was  felt  at  the 
change.  As  soon  as  the  cheers  had  subsided  orders  were  given 
to  get  down  the  awnings  and  prepare  to  make  sail.  In  a  few 
minutes  the  clank  of  the  anchor  chain  was  heard,  and  by  the 
evening  the  schooner  was  running  down  past  the  shores  of  the 
Morea. 

A  month  later  they  anchored  in  Portsmouth.  Here  half 
the  crew  were  paid  off,  and  as  during  their  absence  from  Eng- 
land they  had  had  but  small  opportunities  of  spending  money, 
they  had  nearly  two  years'  pay  coming  to  them,  together  with 
^30  a  head,  being  their  share  of  the  prize-money.  The  re- 
mainder of  the  crew  also  received  their  pay  and  prize-money 
and  two  months'  leave  of  absence.  Mr.  Beveridge  and  Horace 
had  had  many  discussions  on  the  subject,  and  it  had  been 
agreed  that  the  Misericordia  (now  again,  since  she  re-hoisted 
the  English  flag,  the  Creole)  should  for  a  time  be  kept  up  as  a 
yacht,  with  a  complement  of  two  officers  and  twenty  men. 
Martyn,  having  been  consulted,  had  chatted  the  matter  over 
with  Miller  and  Tarleton.  Although  both  these  had  enjoyed 
their  trip  greatly,  and  had  made  a  comfortable  sum  in  pay  and 
prize-money,  both  preferred  to  return  to  the  Royal  Navy,  if 
they  could  do  so,  rather  than  remain  in  a  yacht;  and  Mr. 
Beveridge  promised  to  use  his  influence  as  soon  as  he  returned 
to  get  them  appointed  to  ships.  This  promise  he  was  able  to 
fulfil  a  few  weeks  after  his  arrival  at  home. 

For  home  cruising  as  a  yacht,  Martyn  considered  that  Tom 
Burdett  would  be  sufficient  for  him.  If  she  again  went  out  to 
Greece  there  would  be  no  difficulty  in  obtaining  other  officers 
and  making  up  the  crew  to  its  full  strength.  Portsmouth  had 
been  chosen  instead  of  Plymouth  as  their  point  of  arrival, 
because  from  there  Mr.  Beveridge  could  much  more  easily  get 
up  to  town,  Dr.  Macfarlane  insisting  that  he  should  go  up  to 
obtain  the  best  medical  advice. 


ALL    ENDS    WELL  399 

"But  there  is  nothing  the  matter  with  me,"  Mr.  Beveridge 
had  urged. 

"That  is  just  it,  sir.  If  you  had  anything  the  matter  with 
you  I  might  have  a  chance  of  curing  it.  It  is  because  I  can't 
see  any  reason  why  you  do  not  gain  strength  that  I  want  other 
opinion  about  you." 

The  doctor  had  frequently  talked  it  over  with  Horace  dur- 
ing the  voyage. 

"  I  can  see  nothing  bodily  the  matter  with  your  father,  Hor- 
ace. I  wish  I  could.  There  is  nothing  to  account  for  his 
being  in  this  feeble  state.  All  that  he  says  is  that  he  feels 
tired.  My  opinion  is  that  really  this  is  a  sort  of  reaction 
after  mental  excitement,  just  as  there  is  reaction  after  great 
bodily  fatigue.  Your  father  has  lived  a  smooth,  easy,  tranquil 
life,  and  the  change,  the  excitement,  the  worry,  and  his  utter 
disappointment  with  the  Greeks  themselves,  have  had  the  same 
sort  of  effect  upon  him  as  a  climb  up  to  the  top  of  Ben  Nevis 
might  have  on  a  man  who  did  not  stir  out  of  his  house  for 
months  together.  As  for  that  being  the  cause  I  have  no  doubt 
whatever.  It  is  as  to  the  cure  that  I  want  to  consult  with 
some  big-wig.  I  don't  know  whether  quiet  or  movement 
would  be  the  best  for  him.  He  could  have  had  no  quiet  more 
complete  than  that  he  has  had  on  the  way  home,  and  yet  it 
has  done  him  no  good.  If  he  were  to  go  down  home  the 
inducement  to  arouse  himself  would  be  still  less.  But  what 
sort  of  change  would  really  suit  him  is  more  than  I  can  say." 

Horace  thoroughly  agreed  with  the  doctor.  If  even  the 
cheerful  society  on  board  the  yacht  did  not  rouse  his  father, 
he  dreaded  what  it  would  be  when  he  was  at  home,  with  no 
one  to  stir  him  up  in  any  way.  There  were  two  or  three  con- 
sultations in  town  with  some  of  the  leaders  of  the  profession. 
After  hearing  the  whole  circumstances  they  were  unanimous 
in  agreeing  that  there  seemed  no  serious  disease  of  any  kind, 
but  at  the  same  time  his  condition  gave  cause  of  anxiety. 

"Your  patient  is  evidently  a  man  of  highly  nervous  organi- 
zation,  and  at  present  his  nerves  are  a  wreck.      We  quite 


400  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

agree  with  you  that  were  he  to  go  down  to  a  lonely  house  in 
the  country  he  would  probably  sink  into  the  grave  in  a  few 
months  at  the  outside.  If  you  could  get  him  to  go  in  that  yacht 
of  his  on  some  expedition  in  which  he  feels  what  I  may  call  a 
healthy  interest,  it  might  do  him  good.  I  should  say  a  cold 
climate  would  be  better  for  him  than  a  warm  one.  He  has 
had  more  than  enough  of  that  enervating  work  in  Greek  waters. 
Try  and  interest  him  in  Polar  expeditions.  There  have  been 
a  great  many  of  them  just  lately.  Ross  and  Parry  and  Frank- 
lin have  all  been  trying  their  best  to  find  the  North-west 
Passage,  which  is  not  likely  to  be  of  any  good  if  they  do  find 
it;  but  that  is  nothing  to  the  point.  Get  him  interested  in 
the  matter,  and  let  him  go  and  poke  about  for  a  bit  among  the 
icebergs.  If  you  can  get  him  to  do  that  we  see  no  reason 
why  in  time  his  mind  should  not  recover  its  tone." 

The  matter  had  to  be  done  cautiously.  Horace  professed 
a  vast  interest  in  the  recent  expeditions;  the  doctor  was  full 
of  interesting  facts,  and  little  by  little  they  kindled  an  inter- 
est on  the  subject  in  Mr.  Beveridge's  mind;  and  when  Hor- 
ace broke  out  one  day,  as  if  the  idea  had  only  just  struck  him, 
"My  dear  father,  why  shouldn't  we  go  up  north  in  the  yacht 
for  a  few  months  and  become  explorers?  It  would  be  glorious 
to  see  the  icebergs  and  to  shoot  bears  and  seals,  and  would  be 
a  splendid  change  for  us  all.  I  am  sure  you  would  find  it 
frightfully  dull  going  back  to  Seaport," — he  did  not  entirely 
repudiate  the  idea,  but  said  that  he  should  not  like  to  go  away 
when  things  were  looking  so  dark  for  Greece.  Fortunately,  a 
week  later  the  news  came  that  all  the  immense  preparations 
the  Sultan  had  been  making  for  an  invasion  of  Greece  with  a 
great  army  had  been  arrested  by  a  tremendous  fire,  supposed 
to  be  the  work  of  the  janissaries,  who  did  not  like  the  pros- 
pect of  leaving  Constantinople.  The  fire  had  destroyed  all 
the  vast  stores  collected,  the  artillery,  baggage-trains,  and 
munitions  of  war  of  all  kinds,  and  it  was  probable  that  at 
least  a  year  would  pass  before  a  fresh  effort  could  be  made. 

This  news  evidently  relieved  Mr.   Beveridge's  mind,  and 


ALL    ENDS    WELL  401 

when  Horace,  backed  by  Macfarlane,  returned  to  the  charge, 
he  at  once  consented.  Martyn  was  written  to  by  Horace  the 
same  day.  He  at  once  came  up  to  town,  and  saw  some  of 
the  officers  who  had  been  out  with  Franklin  and  Parry. 
Returning  to  Plymouth,  where  the  Creole  was  lying,  a  body 
of  shipwrights  were  at  once  set  to  work  to  strengthen  her  by 
a  network  of  timber  below,  and  to  sheath  her  with  thick  plank- 
ing outside.  The  captain  of  a  whaler  was  engaged  as  first 
officer.  He  was  to  come  on  board  at  Dundee,  and  to  bring 
with  him  twelve  picked  hands  accustomed  to  the  Polar  Seas. 
With  great  exertion  the  schooner  was  got  ready  in  a  month. 

By  this  time  the  enthusiasm  expressed  by  Horace  and  the 
doctor  in  the  matter  had  infected  Mr.  Beveridge,  who  read 
up  everything  that  had  been  written  on  the  subject,  and  was 
visibly  very  much  better  by  the  time  they  went  down  with  him 
to  Portsmouth  to  join  the  Creole  there.  They  were  away  from 
England  eighteen  months.  They  made  no  discoveries  of  the 
slightest  importance,  but  they  had  numerous  exciting  advent- 
ures, had  many  narrow  escapes  of  being  nipped  by  icebergs, 
and  passed  a  winter  frozen  up  in  Baffin's  Bay.  The  voyage 
achieved  the  object  for  which  it  was  undertaken.  The  subject 
of  Greece  was  a  forbidden  one,  and  Mr.  Beveridge  came  to 
take  a  lively  interest  in  the  new  scenes  with  which  he  was 
surrounded,  joined  in  the  hunting  parties,  took  a  prominent 
part  in  all  the  amusements  got  up  for  keeping  the  crew  in 
good  spirits  and  health  through  the  winter,  and  returned  to 
England  a  more  healthy  and  vigorous  man  than  Horace  had 
ever  before  seen  him.  The  Creole  had  taken  out  with  her 
barrels  and  all  other  appurtenances  for  whaling,  and  having 
been  fairly  successful  in  that  way,  returned  with  sufficient  oil 
and  seal-skins  to  pay  the  greater  part  of  her  expenses. 

"  I  feel  another  man,  Horace,  to  what  I  was  when  I  started," 
Mr.  Beveridge  said  as  he  stepped  ashore  at  Plymouth. 

"You  look  a  different  man,  father — a  different  man  al- 
together to  what  you  have  been  since  I  first  remember  you. 
I  don't  suppose  you  have  grown,  but  you  are  so  much  more 


402  IN    GREEK   WATERS 

upright  that  you  look  as  if  you  had,  and  you  walk  differently, 
and  even  your  voice  seems  changed.  Now,  you  know,  you 
must  not  go  back  again." 

"I  don't  mean  to,  my  boy.  It  seems  to  me  that  I  have 
thrown  away  twenty  years  of  my  life,  and  what  there  is  remain- 
ing to  me  shall  be  spent  differently.  Now  we  have  got  a  long 
arrear  of  news  to  get  up." 

Horace  felt  at  first  uneasy  when  his  father  obtained  a  com- 
plete file  of  the  newspapers  from  the  time  they  had  left  Eng- 
land, and  read  up  the  history  of  affairs  in  Greece.  There  was, 
however,  little  to  learn.  Two  civil  wars  had  taken  place,  some 
large  loans  had  been  raised  in  England,  but  had  been  entirely 
frittered  away  and  wasted;  and  when  in  June,  1824,  the  Turk- 
ish fleet  had  at  last  sailed,  the  Greeks  had  been  as  unpre- 
pared for  resistance  as  they  were  when  they  first  took  up  arms. 
Kasos  and  Psara  had  both  been  captured  and  their  inhabitants 
either  massacred  or  carried  away  into  slavery,  while  the  sailors 
of  Hydra  and  Spetzas  had  not  moved  a  hand  to  succour  their 
countrymen. 

Ibrahim  Pasha  of  Egypt  had  sent  an  army  to  Greece,  and 
had  besieged  Navarino  and  Pylos.  The  Greek  army  had 
advanced  to  relieve  them,  but  being  attacked  by  half  their 
number  of  Egyptian  troops  were  routed  without  the  least 
difficulty  at  Krommydi.  They  were  beaten  again  at  Sphak- 
teria,  and  Pylos  and  Navarino  were  forced  to  surrender;  the 
Egyptians  observing  faithfully  the  terms  they  granted,  and 
allowing  the  garrisons  to  depart  in  neutral  ships.  Dikaios 
was  defeated  and  killed  at  Maniaki,  having  been  deserted  by 
all  his  troops  but  fifteen  hundred.  These  fought  splendidly 
although  attacked  by  six  thousand  men.  A  thousand  of  them 
died  on  the  field  after  having  killed  four  hundred  of  their 
assailants.  This  was  by  far  the  most  gallant  affair  throughout 
the  war.  Kolokotronis  assembled  ten  thousand  men,  but  was 
defeated  with  the  greatest  ease  with  the  loss  of  over  two  hun- 
dred men,  most  of  whom  were  killed  in  their  flight. 

When  the   Creole  returned  to  England  the  siege  of  Misso- 


ALL    ENDS   WELL  403 

longhi  had  begun.  Reshid  Pasha's  army,  ten  thousand  strong, 
sat  down  before  it.  It  was  defended  with  extreme  gallantry 
and  resisted  for  many  months,  while  the  rest  of  Greece  did 
little  to  assist  it.  After  six  months'  siege  Reshid  retired, 
being  straitened  for  provisions  and  suffering  from  the  vigorous 
sorties  of  the  besieged;  but  in  a  short  time  Ibrahim  arrived 
with  his  army  and  again  besieged  the  place;  throwing  up 
formidable  batteries  and  works  against  it.  Several  times  terms 
were  offered  to  the  garrison,  but  were  contemptuously  refused, 
and  several  attacks  were  beaten  off  with  great  loss.  At  last 
the  provisions  were  absolutely  exhausted. 

The  brave  defenders  of  the  town  resolved  upon  a  step  almost 
unexampled  in  history,  namely,  that  the  whole  of  the  men 
should  sally  out,  placing  the  women  and  children  in  their 
centre,  and  cut  their  way  through  the  enemy.  There  were  still 
nine  thousand  persons  in  the  town,  of  whom  only  three  thou- 
sand were  men  capable  of  bearing  arms,  two  thousand  men, 
women,  and  children  were  too  weak  from  starvation  and  dis- 
ease to  join  the  movement;  the  rest  were  divided  into  three 
divisions.  Most  of  the  women  dressed  themselves  in  men's 
clothing  and  carried  arms,  and  even  the  children  had  loaded 
pistols.  Unfortunately  the  Turks  had  been  informed  by  a 
deserter  that  the  attempt  was  about  to  be  made. 

The  three  divisions,  in  spite  of  the  opposition  of  the  Turks, 
attacked  with  such  fury  that  they  made  their  way  through  the 
lines  of  the  enemy;  but  the  people  of  Missolonghi  itself,  who 
were  to  form  the  fourth  division  and  follow  the  others,  were 
seized  with  a  panic  and  fell  back  into  the  town.  Had  the 
Greeks  outside  fulfilled  their  promise,  and  moved  forward  a 
body  of  troops  stationed  a  short  distance  away  to  receive  the 
defenders  of  the  place  when  they  reached  the  open  country,  all 
the  rest  would  have  been  saved;  but  instead  of  the  fifteen 
hundred  who  were  to  have  met  them,  but  fifty  were  there. 
The  Turkish  cavalry  and  the  Albanians  harassed  and  cut  them 
up,  and  even  those  who  gained  the  shelter  of  the  hills  received 
no  assistance   from   the   irregulars,  and  many  perished  from 


404  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

hunger  and  disease,  and  finally  only  fifteen  hundred  escaped. 
The  soldiers  left  behind  in  Missolonghi  either  by  wounds  or 
sickness  intrenched  themselves  in  stone  buildings,  and  there 
defended  themselves  till  the  last,  blowing  up  the  magazines 
and  dying  in  the  ruins  when  they  could  no  longer  hold  out. 
Four  thousand  Greeks  were  killed,  three  thousand  were  taken 
prisoners,  chiefly  women  and  children,  and  two  thousand  alto- 
gether escaped.  The  Acropolis  of  Athens  resisted  stoutly  for 
a  long  time,  but  at  last  fell.  The  Greeks  were  defeated  in 
almost  every  action  upon  which  they  entered,  and  affairs  went 
from  bad  to  worse,  until  the  European  governments  at  last 
determined  to  interfere;  and  their  united  fleets  destroyed  that 
of  the  Turks  at  the  battle  of  Navarino,  and  forced  Turkey  to 
grant  the  independence  of  Greece. 

As  these  events  happened  Mr.  Beveridge  followed  their 
course  with  interest,  but  it  was  only  with  the  interest  shown 
by  Englishmen  in  general.  His  personal  feeling  in  the  matter 
had  entirely  left  him.  During  the  last  four  years  of  the  strug- 
gle there  was  no  sign  whatever  that  misfortune  and  disaster 
had  had  any  effect  in  inducing  the  Greeks  to  lay  aside  their 
personal  jealousies  and  ambitions,  or  to  make  any  common 
effort  against  the  enemy.  The  large  sums  they  had  received 
from  the  loans  raised  for  the  most  part  in  England  were  spent 
in  the  most  unworthy  uses.  They  covered  their  uniforms 
with  gold  lace,  and  the  dress  of  the  men  on  foot  often  cost 
fifty  pounds;  those  of  horsemen  ten  times  that  amount.  They 
affected  all  through  to  despise  the  Turks,  and  yet,  except  the 
fifteen  hundred  men  under  Dikaios  and  the  defenders  of 
Missolonghi,  they  never  once  opposed  anything  like  an  obsti- 
nate resistance  to  them,  and  the  last  show  of  resistance  was 
almost  crushed  out  when  the  intervention  of  Europe  saved 
them. 

The  Creole  had  been  laid  up  after  her  return  from  the 
Arctic  Seas.  Mr.  Beveridge  had  purchased  a  large  share  in  a 
fine  East  Indiaman,  making  the  proviso  that  Martyn  should 
be  appointed  to  the  command,  he  himself  buying  a  share  in 


ALL    ENDS   WELL  405 

her  with  the  money  he  had  earned  during  the  four  years'  ser- 
vice on  board  the  schooner.  Mr.  Beveridge  had,  to  the 
immense  satisfaction  of  his  aunt,  Mrs.  Fordyce,  entirely  aban- 
doned the  study  of  Greek,  devoted  himself  to  the  affairs  of 
his  estate,  became  an  active  magistrate,  and  had,  three  years 
after  his  return,  stood  for  Parliament  as  member  for  the 
county,  and  had  won  the  seat.  Horace  was  twenty  when  they 
returned  from  the  north.  He  had  a  long  talk  with  his  father 
as  to  his  future  prospects  and  career.  He  was  too  old  now 
to  take  up  the  thread  of  his  studies  again  or  to  go  to  the  uni- 
versity, and  he  finally  determined,  at  the  advice  of  his  father, 
to  study  for  the  bar. 

"You  will  never  have  any  occasion  to  practise,  Horace,  but 
a  few  months  every  year  in  London  will  make  a  pleasant 
change  for  you;  and  as  you  may  look  to  be  a  county  magis- 
trate some  day  you  will  find  a  knowledge  of  the  law  very  useful 
to  you.  You  will  be  in  London  five  or  six  months  every  year, 
then  you  will  have  your  shooting  and  hunting  in  the  winter, 
and  we  will  have  two  or  three  months'  cruise  together  in  the 
Creole.  I  find  that  our  expedition  in  Greece  cost  me,  one 
way  and  another,  just  fifteen  thousand  pounds,  which  is  a  good 
deal  less  than  I  should  have  thrown  away  if  it  had  not  been 
for  your  advice.  I  hear  that  it  is  likely  that  Sir  James  Hob- 
house's  estate  will  be  in  the  market  before  long,  and  I  think, 
as  it  almost  adjoins  ours,  I  shall  buy  it.  I  fancy  that  I  shall 
get  it  for  about  thirty  thousand  pounds.  That  I  should  settle 
on  you  at  once.  I  am  not  fifty  yet,  and  feel  that  I  have  more 
life  in  me  than  I  ever  had,  and  I  don't  want  you  to  be  wait- 
ing another  twenty  or  thirty  years  to  step  into  my  shoes.  Its 
management  will  be  an  occupation  for  you,  and  then  you  can 
marry  whenever  you  feel  inclined." 

This  happened  four  years  later;  it  arose  out  of  a  meeting  at 
a  dinner  party  in  London.  Horace  had  taken  down  a  very 
pretty  girl  to  whom  he  had  just  been  introduced.  He  thought 
that  she  looked  at  him  rather  curiously  when  his  name  was 
mentioned.  They  chatted  on  all  sorts  of  subjects  during 
dinner,   and  when  the  ladies  arose   to  go  she  said:  "Please 


406  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

find  me  out  when  you  come  upstairs.  I  have  a  question  I  par- 
ticularly want  to  ask  you,  but  I  could  not  very  well  do  it  here. 
Please  do  not  forget,  for  it  is  important."  A  good  deal 
puzzled  Horace  made  his  way  upstairs  as  soon  as  he  could  and 
saw  that  the  girl  was  with  another  lady  sitting  in  a  quiet  cor- 
ner of  the  drawing-room.  He  crossed  to  them  at  once. 
"Mother,"  the  young  lady  said,  "this  is  Mr.  Beveridge." 

"You  are  right,  Ada,"  the  lady  said,  rising  and  holding  out 
her  hand,  "I  recognize  him  at  once  now  I  see  him.  Oh,  Mr. 
Beveridge,  you  do  not  know  how  we  have  longed  to  see  you 
again,  and  you  don't  know  us,  do  you?  " 

"No,  I  can't  say  that  I  do,  madam,"  Horace  replied,  more 
and  more  astonished. 

"  I  am  the  lady  you  saved  from  being  sold  as  a  slave  at 
Algiers  when  you  captured  the  ship  we  were  in  off  the  coast 
of  Asia  Minor.  This  is  my  daughter.  No  wonder  you  don't 
remember  us  for  I  was  a  strange-looking  creature  in  that  Greek 
dress,  and  Ada  was  but  a  child." 

"I  remember  you  now,  Mrs.  Herbert,"  Horace  exclaimed. 
"  I  ought  to  have  done  so  before,  as  we  were  four  or  five  days 
on  board  together." 

"You  must  have  thought  us  so  ungrateful,"  Mrs.  Herbert 
said;  "but  we  were  not  so;  we  never  knew  where  to  write  to 
when  you  were  out  in  Greece.  Then  two  or  three  years  after- 
wards we  heard  from  someone  who  had  been  out  there  that 
you  had  returned,  and  my  husband,  who  left  Smyrna  and  came 
back  to  England  after  we  got  back,  made  all  sorts  of  inquiries, 
and  found  out  at  last  that  you  had  gone  away  again  on  an 
Arctic  expedition.  Then  he  went  out  to  Malta,  where  we 
have  been  living  for  the  last  three  years,  and  only  returned  a 
month  ago  to  England.  My  husband  had  to  return  to  Smyrna; 
he  had  large  business  connections  there  that  could  not  be 
broken  off  suddenly.  Nothing  could  induce  me  ever  to  return 
there,  but  it  was  an  easy  run  for  him  to  Malta,  and  he  was 
able  to  come  and  stay  with  us  for  a  week  or  so  every  two  or 
three  months.  For  the  last  year  he  was  training  the  son  of 
the  senior  partner  of  the  house  to  take  his  place  at  Smyrna,  and 


ALL    ENDS    WELL  407 

he  himself  has  now  come  back  altogether,  as  Mr.  Hamblyn  has 
now  retired,  and  he  is  the  head  of  the  firm.  He  is  not  here 
to-night,  but  will  be  delighted  to  hear  that  we  have  found  you. " 

"We  have  been  back  three  years,"  Horace  said. 

"  Of  course  we  did  not  know  that  you  were  in  England.  It 
has  been  a  great  grief  to  us.  It  seemed  so  extraordinary  that 
after  being  saved  by  you  from  the  most  awful  of  all  fates  you 
should  have  disappeared  out  of  our  life  as  suddenly  as  you 
came  into  it.  Of  course  it  was  not  much  to  you — you  who 
saved  so  many  hundreds,  we  heard  afterwards  thousands  of 
women  and  girls  from  slavery;  but  to  us  it  was  everything. 
And  your  father,  Mr.  Beveridge,  is  he  quite  well?" 

"Yes,  he  is  far  better  than  I  have  ever  known  him  to  be. 
I  am  going  down  next  week  to  help  him;  he  is  going  to  stand 
for  our  part  of  the  county  for  Parliament.  There  is  a  vacancy 
there,  and  I  fancy  that  he  has  a  very  good  chance." 

"Is  he,  indeed?  He  did  not  give  me  the  idea  of  being  a 
man  who  would  have  cared  for  that  sort  of  thing.  Of  course 
we  only  saw  him  just  for  those  four  days." 

"  I  am  happy  to  say  that  he  has  changed  very  much  since 
then.  He  came  home  very  ill  from  Greece,  but  our  eighteen 
months  among  the  ice  entirely  set  him  up  and  made  a  new 
man  of  him.  I  am  sure  he  will  be  very  pleased  when  he  hears 
that  I  have  met  you.  And  did  you  recognize  me  at  once, 
Miss  Herbert?  " 

"The  name  helped  me,"  the  girl  said.  "When  I  heard  it  I 
felt  sure  it  was  you  at  once.  It  was  very  hard  work  sitting 
there  talking  to  you  as  if  you  were  a  stranger." 

"  Why  did  you  not  tell  me  at  once  ?  "   Horace  asked  smiling. 

She  did  not  answer,  but  her  mother  said  for  her :  "  You  can't 
tell  how  we  felt  about  you  and  your  father,  Mr.  Beveridge,  or 
you  would  not  ask  the  question.  The  chances  are  that  if  Ada 
had  told  you  who  she  was  she  would  have  burst  out  crying. 
She  told  me  it  was  as  much  as  she  could  do  to  restrain  herself; 
and  I  think  we  have  both  had  a  quiet  cry  in  this  corner  since 
we  came  upstairs.    Now,  please  give  me  your  address  in  town?  " 


408  IN    GREEK    WATERS 

"I  have  chambers  in  Mitre  Court  Temple,  No.  3." 

"My  husband  will  call  to  see  you  the  first  thing  in  the 
morning,  I  am  sure.  Mr.  Beveridge  and  you  must  dine  with 
us  quietly  to-morrow,  so  that  we  can  talk  it  all  over.  You  are 
not,  I  hope,  engaged." 

Horace  was  not  engaged,  but  if  he  had  been  he  would 
probably  have  thrown  it  over. 

Under  these  circumstances  it  was  not  very  much  to  wonder 
at  that  a  few  months  later  the  Morning  Post  contained  this 
announcement : — "  We  understand  that  a  marriage  has  been 
arranged  between  Mr.  Horace  Beveridge,  the  son  of  Mr.  H. 
Beveridge,  M.P.,  and  Ada,  only  child  of  Mr.  Herbert,  of 
Bedford  Square,  the  head  of  the  firm  of  Herbert  &  Sandeson, 
the  well-known  firm  of  Levant  merchants.  We  understand 
the  acquaintance  of  Mr.  Beveridge  with  the  young  lady  he  is 
now  about  to  lead  to  the  altar  commenced  under  singularly 
romantic  circumstances  in  the  Levant  six  years  ago." 

On  the  day  after  their  marriage  Horace  and  his  wife  sailed 
to  spend  their  honeymoon  among  the  fiords  of  Norway  and  in 
the  Baltic  on  board  the  Creole.  She  was  commanded  by 
Miller,  whose  ship  had  been  paid  off  a  month  previously,  and 
Tarleton,  whose  frigate  belonged  to  the  Channel  squadron, 
obtained  three  months'  leave  to  sail  in  her  as  first  officer. 
Macfarlane  was  with  them  for  a  fortnight,  not  being  able  to 
get  away  for  a  longer  time  from  the  practice  in  which  he  had 
purchased  a  partnership  at  Plymouth.  Tom  Burdett  went,  of 
course,  in  his  old  capacity;  but  this  was  his  last  trip  in  her 
though  he  long  remained  the  commander  of  the  Surf,  which 
was  always  kept  in  commission  at  Seaport,  and  in  which 
Horace's  boys  and  girls  learned  to  love  the  sea  as  much  as  did 
their  father. 

THE    END 


gOOKS   FOR 

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BY    CAPT.    F.    S.    BRERETON 

THE    DRAGON   OF    PEKIN 

A  Story  of  the  Boxer  Revolt.      Illustrated,  12mo,  $1.50. 

In  this  timely  volume  the  author  has  been  singularly  successful  in 
depicting  the  stirring  scenes  of  the  late  trouble  In  China.  His  hero  has 
an  adventurous  part  in  the  exciting  issue  between  China  and  the  Allied 
Powers. 

A   GALLANT    GRENADIER 

A  Tale  of   the  Crimean  War.     Illustrated,  12mo,  $1.50. 

Captain  Brereton  is  now  hailed  as  another  "  George  A.  Henty."  In 
this  stirring  story  the  history  and  the  real  atmosphere  of  this  impor- 
tant war  is  strikingly  conveyed  in  a  story  of  really  thrilling  power. 

WITH    RIFLE    AND    BAYONET 

A   Story   of    the    Boer  War.     Illustrations    by   Wal.    Paget. 
Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Jack  Somerten  is  the  first  Uitlander  to  find  actual  evidence  that  the 
Boers  are  importing  arms  and  ammunition  in  large  quantities,  but  the 
Boers  soon  learn  that  he  lias  discovered  their  secret  and  from  that  time 
his  life  is  in  constant  danger.  The  account  of  his  adventures  and 
escapes  during  this  time  and  throughout  the  war  makes  one  of  the 
best  war  tales  of  many  years. 

IN   THE    KING'S    SERVICE 

A  Tale   of   Cromwell's   Invasion   of   Ireland.     Illustrations    by 
Stanley  L.  Wood.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

When  the  Parlirnentary  army  crosses  to  Ireland  young  Dick  Gran- 
ville and  his  cousin  join  a  body  of  Royalist  horse.  They  take  part  in 
the  defense  of  Drogheda,  only  escaping  from  the  slaughter  there  by  a 
miracle,  and  afterwards  go  through  a  series  of  thrilling  adventures  and 
narrow  escapes. 

WITH    SHIELD   AND    ASSEGAI 

A  Tale  of  the  Zulu  War.     With   G   Illustrations   by     Stanley 
L.  Wood.     Crown  bvo,  $1.25. 

Donald  Stewart,  at  school  in  England,  is  wrongfully  accused  of  theft. 
He  runs  awav,  enlists  in  the  British  army,  and  is  sent  to  Africa.  There 
he  learns  that  his  sister  anil  a  friend  are  in  the  hands  of  Cetewayo. 
Disguised  as  a  Zulu,  he  rescues,  the  two  girls;  and  after  the  attack 
upon  rjlundi,  he  hears  from  a  dying  ollicer  a  confession  of  the  theft  of 
which  In'  «  :is  accused. 


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BY  ROBERT  LEIGHTON 

"Mr.  Leighton's  place  is  in  the  front  rank  of  writers  of  beys'  books." 

— Standard. 


THE  GOLDEN  GALLEON 

Illustrated,  crow  n  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

This  is  a  story  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  time,  just  after  the  defeat  of  the 
Spanish  Armada.  Mr.  Leighton  introduces  in  his  work  the  great  sea- 
fighters  of  Plymouth  town — Hawkins,  Drake,  Raleigh,  and  Richard 
Grenville. 

OLAF  THE  GLORIOUS 

With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  Ralph  Peacock.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,    $1.50. 

This  story  of  Olaf,  King  of  Norway,  opens  with  his  being  found  living 
as  a  bond-slave  in  Esthonia,  and  follows  him  through  his  romantic 
youth  in  Russia.  Then  come  his  adventures  as  a  Viking,  his  raids  upon 
the  coasts  of  Scotland  and  England,  and  his  conversion  to  Christianity. 
He  returns  to  Norway  as  king,  and  converts  his  people  to  the  Christian 
faith. 

WRECK  OF  "THE  GOLDEN  FLEECE" 

The  Story  of  a  North  Sea  Fisher-boy.  With  8  full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  Frank  Brangwyn.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  is  a  parson's  son  who  is  apprenticed  on  board  a  Lowestoft 
fishing  lugger.  The  lad  suffers  many  buffets  from  his  shipmates,  while 
the  storms  and  dangers  which  he  braved  are  set  forth  with  intense  power. 

THE  THIRSTY  SWORD 

A  Story  of  the  Norse  Invasion  of  Scotland  (1262-63).  With 
8  full-page  Illust  ations  by  Alfred  Pearse,  and  a  Map. 
Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

This  story  tells  how  Roderick  Mac  Alpin,  the  sea-rover,  came  to  the 
Isle  of  Bute;  how  he  slew  his  brother  in  Rothesay  Castle;  how  the  earl's 
eldest  son  was  likewise  slain;  how  young  Kennc  now  became  king  of 
Bute,  and  vowed  vengeance  against  the  slayer  of  his  brother  and  father, 
and  finally,  how  this  vow  was  kept,  when  Kenric  and  the  murderous 
6ea-rover  met  at  midnight  and  ended  their  feud  in  one  last  great  fight. 

THE  PILOTS  OF  POMONA 

A  Story  of  the  Orkney  Islarjds.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations 
by  John  Leighton,  and  a  Map.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges, 
$1.50. 

Halcro  Ericson,  the  hero,  happens  upon  many  exciting  adventures 
and  hardy  experiences,  through  which  he  carries  himself  with  quiet 
courage.  The  story  gives  a  vivid  presentation  of  life  in  these  far 
northern  islands. 


BOOKS    FOR    YOUNG    PEOPLE 


AN  ANIMAL  ABC 

A  Humorous  Alphabet.  By  H.  B.  Netlson.  4to,  $1.00.  With 
24  pages  of  Illustrations  in  two  colors  and  24  pages  in 
black  and  white.     Verses  by  "The  Cockiolly  Bird." 

A  remarkably  attractive  collection  of  spirited  and  original  animal 
pictures  by  an   artist  who  excels  in  this  line. 

ROUNDABOUT  RHYMES 

Written  and  pictured  by  Mrs.  Percy  Dearmer.  Beautifully 
printed.  With  20  full-page  plates  in  colors.  Small  4to, 
$1.00. 

This  book  is  unusually  attractive  in  form,  and  is  admirably  suited 
to  the  youngest  readers.  The  pictures,  together  with  the  delightful 
series  of  half  playful  rhymes  accompanying  them,  have  a  quaint  nur- 
sery air  that  will  render  them  particularly  dear  to  a  child's  heart. 

THE  LITTLE  BROWNS 

By  Mabel  E.  Wolton.  With  80  Illustrations  by  II.  M. 
Brock,  and  a  Colored  Frontispiece.  Square  Svo,  gilt  edges, 
$2.00. 

The  Little  Browns  are  a  delightful  set  of  youngsters,  more  than 
usually  individual  and  self-reliant.  During  their  parents'  absence  they 
extend  hospitality  to  a  stranger,  under  the  belief  that  he  is  their  uncle 
from  Australia.  The  supposed  uncle  is  really  a  burglar,  and  by  their 
courage  and  childish  resources  they  outwit  him.  The  Little  Browns  is 
the  work  of  a  true  child-lover. 


BY    CARTON    MOORE    PARK 

A  BOOK  OF  BIRDS 

Profusely  Illustrated  with  full-page  plates,  vignettes,  cover 
design,  etc.,  etc.      Demy  4to  (13  inches  by  10  inches),  $2.00. 

No  artist  has  caught  more  thoroughly  the  individualities  of  the  bird 
world,  or  has  reproduced  them  with  more  lifelike  vivacity   and  charm. 

AN  ALPHABET  OF  ANIMALS 

With  20  full-page  Plates,  a  large  number  of  vignettes,  and 
cover  design  jy  Carton  Moohe  Park.  Demy  4to  /VS 
inches   by    10   inches),    $2.00. 

A  strikingly  artistic  alphabet  book,  Mr.  Park"s  drawings  are  marked 
by  extraordinary  boldness  and  vi^or  of  treatment ;  but  they  display  in 
addition  a  rare  appreciation  of  the  subtler  characteristics  of  the  animal 
world.  Of  these  individual  traits  Mr.  Park  has  an  intuitive  perception, 
and  his  pictures   may  almost,  be  said     to   live  upon   the  pac;e. 


BOOKS   FOR    TOUXG    PEOPLE 


GOOD  BOOKS  FOR  GIRLS 


BY    ETHEL    F.    HEDDLE 

A  MYSTERY   OF  ST.   RULES 

$1.50. 

An  absorbing  novel  for  girls,  the  action  of  which  revolves  round  the 
mystery  of  a  stolen  diamond,  but  is  full  of  delightful  character 
sketches,  and  the  background  of  the  gray  old  city  is  charmingly  filled 
in.  The  mystery  is  well  maintained,  and  the  love  interest  is  strong 
to  the  end. 

AN   ORIGINAL  GIRL 

Illustrated.     12mo,  $1.50. 

A  tale  of  London  and  English  country  life.  The  author  is  a  favorite 
writer  for  girls,  whose  previous  books  have  been  unusually  popular. 


THINGS   WILL   TAKE   A   TURN 

By  Beatrice  Harradkn,  Author  of  "Ships  that  Pass  in  the 
Night."    Illustrated.     12mo,  $1.00. 

It  is  the  story  of  a  sunny-hearted  child,  Rosebud,  who  assists  her 
grandfather  iu  his  dusty,  second-hand  bookshop. 

LAUGH  AND  LEARN 

The  Easiest  Book  of  Nursery  Lessons  and  Nursery  Games.     By 
Jennett   Humphreys.      Charmingly  Illustrated.      Square 

8vo,  $1.25. 

"One  of  the  best  books  of  the  kind  imaginable,  full  of  practical 
teachings  in  word  and  picture,  and  helping  the  little  ones  pleasantly 
along  a  right  royal  road  to  learning." — Graphic. 

ADVENTURES   IN   TOYLAND 

By  Edith  King  Hall.     With  8  Colored  Plates  and  72  other 
Illustrations  by  Alice  B.  Woodward.     Square  8vo,  $2.00. 

The  story  of  what  a  little  girl  heard  and  saw  in  a  toy  shop. 

NELL'S    SCHOOL    DAYS 

A  Story  of  Town  and  Country.     By  H.    P.    Gethen.     With   4 
Illustrations,  $1.00. 

VIOLET   VEREKER'S   VANITY 

By  Anntk  E.  Armstrong.     With  6  Illustrations  by  G.  D.  Ham- 
mond.    Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 


BOOKS   FOR    YOUNG    PEOPLE 


GOOD  BOOKS  FOR  GIRLS 


THREE    FAIR    MAIDS 

Or,  The  Burkes  of  Derrymore.  By  Katharine  Tynan.  With 
12  Illustrations  by  G.  D.  Hammond.  Crown  8vo,  olivine 
edges,  $1.50. 

A  story  of  Irish  country  life.  The  three  fair  maids  are  the  daughters 
of  an  impoverished  Irish  lady.  Sir  Jasper's  disinheritance  of  their 
father  obliged  them  to  give  up  their  great  house,  but  the  family 
is  ultimately  reconciled  with  Uncle  Peter,  who  makes  Elizabeth  his 
heiress. 

THREE    BRIGHT    GIRLS 

A  Story  of  Chance  and  Mischance.     By  Annie  E.  Armstrong. 

With  6  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.    Parkinson.     Crown 

8vo,  $1.25. 
"Among  many  good  stories  for  girls  this  is  undoubtedly  one  of  the 
very  best." — Teacheri?  Aid. 

A   NEWNHAM    FRIENDSHIP 

By  Alice  Stronach.  With  6  Illustrations  by  Harold  Copping. 
Crown  bvo,  $1.25. 

A  description  of  life  at  Newnham  College.  Men  students  play  their 
part  in  the  story,  and  the  closing  chapters  describe  the  work  of  some 
of  t"_ie  girls  as  "  social  settlers  "  in  the  east  of  London. 

THE    LADY  ISOBEL 

A  Story  for  Girls.  By  Eliza  F.  Pollard.  With  4  Illustra- 
tions by  W.  Fulton  Brown.     12mo,  $1.00. 

A  Tale  of  the  Scottish  Covenanters. 

A   GIRL   OF    TO-DAY 

By  Ellinor  Davenport  Adams.  With  6  page  Illustrations  by 
Gertrude  Demain  Hammond,  K.I.     Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

The  boys  and  a;irls  of  Woodend  band  themselves  together,  and  that 
the}'  have  plenty  of  fun  is  seen  in  the  shopping  expedition  to  purchase 
stores  for  their  society,  and  in  the  successful  Christmas  entertainment. 
Max  Brenton's  fight  with  Joe  Baker,  the  bully,  shows  that  their  work 
has  its  serious  side  as  well. 

CYNTHIA'S  BONNET  SHOP 

By  Rosa  Miliiolland  (Lady  Gilbert),  With  8  Illustrations  by 
C.  D.  Hammond,  R.I.      Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Cynthia,  one  of  three  charming,  lively  sisters  of  an  impoverished 
Connaught  family,  desires  to  make  money  for  the  sake  of  her  delicate 
mother.  If  she  had  only  capital  she  would  open  a  millinery  establish- 
ment, in  London.  The  capital  is  mysteriously  supplied,  and  the  secret 
of  the  unknown  benefactor  is  kept  to  the  end. 


BOOKS   FOR  YOUNG   PEOPLE 


BY    DR.   GORDON    STABLES 


COURAGE   TRUE   HEART 

A  Brilliant  New  Story  of  Danger  and  Daring  on  the  Sea.  By 
Gordon   Stables,    M.D.,     CM.     Illustrated,    crown   8vo, 

$1.25. 

A   NAVAL    CADET 

A  Story  of  Adventure  by  Sea.  By  Gordon  Stables,  M.D., 
CM.     Illustrated,  crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

FOR    LIFE   AND   LIBERTY 

A  Story  of  Battle  by  Land  and  Sea.  By  Gordon  Stables, 
M.D.,  CM.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  Sidney 
Paget.     12  mo,  $1.50. 

The  story  of  an  English  boy  who  runs  from  home  and  joins  the  South- 
ern army  in  the  late  Civil  War.  His  chum  enters  the  navy,  and  their 
various  adventures  are  set  forth  with  great  vigor  and  interest. 

TO    GREENLAND   AND   THE   POLE 

A  Story  of  Adventure  in  the  Arctic  Regions.  By  Gordon 
Stables,  M.D.,  CM.  With  8  full  page  Illustrations  by 
G.  C  IIindley,  and  a  map.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges, 
$1.50. 

The  author  is  himself  an  old  Arctic  voyager,  and  he  deals  with  deer- 
hunting  in  Norway,  sealing  in  the  Arctic  Seas,  bear-stalkiug  on  the 
ice-floes,  the  hardships  of  a  journey  across  Greenland,  and  a  successful 
voyage  to  the  back  of  the  North  Pole. 

WESTWARD   WITH   COLUMBUS 

By  Gordon  Stables,  M.D.,  CM.  With  8  full -page  Illustra- 
tions by  Alfred  Pearse.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  of  this  story  is  Columbus  himself.  His  career  is  traced 
from  boyhood  onward  through  the  many  hazardous  enterprises  in  which 
he  was  at  various  times  engaged.  The  narrative  deals  chiefly,  however, 
with  the  great  naval  venture  which  resulted  iu  the  discovery  of  the 
American  continent. 

TWIXT    SCHOOL   AND    COLLEGE 

A  Tale  of  Self-reliance.  By  Gordon  Stables,  M.D.,  CM. 
With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  Parkinson.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 


BOOKS   FOE    TOUNO    PEOPLE 


IN   THE    DICTATOR'S   GRIP 

By  John  Samson.     Illustrated.     12mo,  $1.25 

A  vigorous  and  telling  story  of  an  Englishman's  adventures  in  the 
Pampas  and  Paraguay. 

JONES    THE    MYSTERIOUS 

By    Charles    Edwardes.     "With  3  Illustrations    by    Harold 
Copping.     l'2mo,  75  cts. 

A  bright  story  of  English  schoolboy  life,  with  mysterious  happenings 
to  the  hero,  who  has  a  secret  and  weird  '•power,"  bestowed  upon  him 
by  his  East  Indian  bearer. 

THE    HISTORY    OF   GUTTA-PERCHA 
WILLIE 

The  Working  Genius.  By  George  Macdonald.  With  8  Illus- 
trations by  Arthur  Hughes.     2\ew  Edition,    l^mo,  75  cts. 

WYNPORT  COLLEGE 

A  Story  of  School  Life.  By  Frederick  Harrison.  With  8 
Illustrations  by  Harold  Copping.     Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

The  hero  and  his  chums  differ  as  widely  in  character  as  in  personal 
appearance.  We  have  Patrick  O'Fflahertie,  the  good-natured  Irish 
boy  ;  Jack  Brookes,  the  irrepressible  humorist ;  Davie  Jackson,  the 
true-hearted  little  lad  ou  whose  haps  and  mishaps  the  plot  to  a  great 
extent  turns  :  and  the  hero  himself. 

THE  ROVER'S  SECRET 

A  Tale  of  the  Pirate  Cays  anil  Lagoons  of  Cuba.  By  Harry 
Collingwood.  With  6  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  C. 
Symons.     Crown  Svo,  $1.UU. 

The  hero  of  "The  Rover's  Secret,"  a  young  officer  of  the  British 
navy,  narrates  his  peculiar  experiences  in  childhood  and  his  subsequent 
perils  and  achivements. 

THE    PIRATE    ISLAND 

A  Story  of  the  South  Pacific.  By  Harry  Collingwood. 
Illustrated  by  8  full-page  Pictures  by  C.  J.  Staniland  and 
J.R.WELLS.     Olivine  edges.     Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

This  story  details  the  adventures  of  a  lad  who  was  found  in  his  in- 
fancy on  hoard  a  wreck,  and  is  adopted  by  a  fisherman.  Going  to  sea, 
he  forme  one  of  a  party  who,  after  being  burned  out  of  their  ship, 
are  picked  up  by  a  pirate  brig  and  taken  to  the  ''Pirate  Island,"  where 
they  have  many  thrilling  adventures. 


BOOKS   FOR    YOUNG    PEOPLE 


BY    GEORGE    MANVILLE    FENN 

DICK   O'   THE   FENS 

A  Romance  of  the  Great  East  Swamp.  With  12  full  page 
Illustrations  by  Frank  Dadd.     Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

BROWNSMITH'S    BOY 

With  6  page  Illustrations.     Crown,  8vo,  $1.00. 

YUSSUF    THE    GUIDE 

Being  the  Strange  Story  of  Travels  in  Asia  Minor.  With  8  full- 
page  Illustrations.     Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 

THE   GOLDEN   MAGNET 

A  Tale  of  the  Land  of  the  Incas.  With  12  full-page  pictures  by 
Gordon  Browne.     Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

NAT   THE   NATURALIST 

A  Boy's  Adventures  in  the  Eastern  Seas.  Illustrated  by  8  full- 
pace  Pictures  by  George  Browne.  Crown,  8vo,  olivine 
edges,  $1.50. 

QUICKSILVER 

Or,  A  Boy  with  no  Skid  to  his  Wheel.  With  10  full-page  Illus- 
trations by  Frank  Dadd.     Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

DEVON    BOYS 

A  Tale  of  the  North  Shore.  With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by 
Gordon  Browne.     Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

MOTHER   CAREY'S   CHICKEN 

Her  Voyage  to  the  Unknown  Isle.  With  8  full  page  Illustra- 
tions.    Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 

BUNYIP  LAND 

The  Story  of  a  Wild  Journey  in  New  Guinea.  With  6  full-page 
Illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne.     Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

IN  THE   KING'S   NAME 

Or,  The  Cruise  of  the  Kestrel.  Illustrated  by  12  full-page  Pic- 
tures by  Gordon  Browne.     Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

MENHARDOC 

A  Story  of  Cornish  Nets  and  Mines.  With  6  full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  C.  J.  Staniland.     Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 

PATIENCE   WINS 

Or,  War  in  the  Works.  With  6  full-page  Illustrations.  Crown 
8vo,  $1.00. 


"Wherever  English  is  spoken  one  imagines  that  Mr.  Henty's 
name  is  known.  One  cannot  enter  a  schoolroom  or  look,  at  a 
boy's  bookshelf  without  seeing  half-a-dozen  of  his  familiar 
volumes.  Mr.  Kenty  is  no  doubt  the  most  successful  writer 
for  boys,  and  the  one  to  whose  new  volumes  they  look  forward 
every  Christmas  with  most  pleasure." — Review  of  Reviews. 


A   LIST   OF   BOOKS 
FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE 

...By... 

G.  A.  HENTY 


^£l 


Published  by 

CHARLES   SCRIBNER'S   SONS 

153  to  157  Fifth  Avenue  J>  <*  New  York 

and  by 

BLACKIE   &  SON,  Limited,  GLASGOW 


THIS    YEAR'S    BOOKS 

. . .  »y .  .. 
G.    A.    HENTY. 

5$r    %    % 

"  Among  writers  of  stories  of  adventures  for  boys  Mr.  Henty 
stands  in  the  very  first  rank." — Academy  (London). 


THE  TREASURE  OF  THE  INCAS 

A  Tale  of  Adventure  in  Peru.     With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by 
Wal  Paget,  and  Map.    $1.20  net. 

Peru  and  the  hidden  treasures  of  her  ancient  kings  offer  Mr.  Henty 
a  most  fertile  field  for  a  stirring  story  of  adventure  in  his  most  engag- 
ing style.  In  an  effort  to  win  the  girl  of  his  heart,  the  hero  penetrates 
into  the  wilds  of  the  land  of  the  Incas.  Boys  who  have  learned  to 
look  for  Mr.  Henty's  books  will  follow  his  new  hero  in  his  adventurous 
and  romantic  expedition,  with  absorbing  interest.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
captivating  tales  Mr.  Henty  has  yet  written. 

WITH  KITCHENER  IN  THE  SOUDAN 

A  Story  of  Atbara  and  Omdurman.     With  10  full-page  Illustra- 
tions.    $1.20  net. 

Mr.  Henty  has  never  combined  history  and  thrilling  adventure  more 
skillfully  than  in  this  extremely  interesting  story.  It  is  not  in  boy 
nature  to  lay  it  aside  unfinished,  once  begun  ;  and  finished,  the  reader 
finds  himself  in  possession,  not  only  of  the  facts  and  the  true  atmos- 
phere of  Kitchener's  famous  Soudan  campaign,  but  of  the  Gordon 
tragedy  which  preceded  it  by  so  many  years  and  of  which  it  was  the 
outcome. 

WITH   THE  BRITISH  LEGION 

A  Story  of  the  Carlist  Uprising  of  1836.     Illustrated.     $1.20  net. 

Arthur  Hallct,  a  young  English  boy,  finds  himself  in  difficulty  at 
liome,  through  certain  harmless  school  escapades,  and  enlists  in  the 
famous  "British  Legion,"  which  was  then  embarking  for  Spain  to  take 
part  in  the  campaign  to  repress  the  Carlist  uprising  of  1836.  Arthur 
shows  bis  mettle  in  the  first  fight,  distinguishes  himi-elf  by  daring  work 
in  carrying  an  important  dispatch  to  Madrid,  makes  a  dashing  and 
thrilling  rescue  of  the  sister  of  his  patron  and  is  rapidly  promoted  to 
the  rank  of  captain.  In  following  the  adventures  of  the  hero,  the 
reader  obtains,  as  is  usual  with  Mr.  Henty's  stories,  a  most  accurate 
and  interesting  history  of  a  picturesque  campaign. 


BOOKS   FOR    YOUNG    PEOPLE 


STORIES    BY    Q.    A.    HENTY 

"  His  books  have  at  once  the  solidity  of  history  and  the  charm  of 
romance. ''-Journal  of  Education. 


TO   HERAT   AND    CABUL 

A  Story  of  the  First  Afghan  War.     By  G.  A.  Henty.     With 
Illustrations.      12mo,  $1.20  net. 

The  greatest  defeat  ever  experienced  by  the  British  Army  was  that 
in  the  Mountain  Passes  of  Afghanistan.  Angus  Cameron,  the  hero  of 
this  book,  having  been  captured  by  the  friendly  Afghans,  was  com- 
pelled to  be  a  witness  of  the  calamity.  His  whole  story  is  an  intensely 
interesting  one,  from  his  boyhood  in  Persia;  his  employment  under  the 
Government  at  Herat;  through  the  defense  of  that  town  against  the 
Persians;  to  Cabul,  where  he  shared  in  all  the  events  which  ended  in 
the  awful  march  through  the  Pa?ses  from  which  but  one  man  escaped. 
Angus  is  always  at  the  point  of  danger,  and  whether  in  battle  or  in 
hazardous  expeditions  shows  how  much  a  brave  youth,  full  of 
resources,  can  do,  even  with  so  treacherous  a  foe.  His  dangers  and 
adventures  are  thrilling,   and  his  escapes  marvellous. 

WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

A  Tale  of  the  South  African  War.     By  G.  A  Henty.     With  12 
Illustrations.     $1.20  net. 

The  Boer  War  gives  Mr.  Henty  an  unexcelled  opportunity  for  a 
thrilling:  story  of  present-day  interest  which  the  author  could  not  fail  to 
take  advantage  of.  Every  boy  reader  will  find  this  account  of  the  ad- 
ventures of  the  young  hero  most  exciting,  and,  at  the  same  time  a 
wonderfully  accurate  description  of  Lord  Roberts's  campaign  to  Preto- 
ria. Boys  have  found  history  in  the  dress  Mr.  Henty  gives  it  anything 
but  dull*  and  the  present  book  is  no  exception  to  the  rule. 

AT  THE  POINT  OF  THE  BAYONET 

A  Tale  of  the  Mahratta  War.     By  G.  A.  Henty.     Illustrated. 
12mo,  $1.20  net. 

One  hundred  years  ago  the  rule  of  the  British  in  India  was  only  partly 
established.  The  powerful  Mahrattas  were  unsubdued,  and  with  their 
skill  in  iutrigue,  ami  great  military  power,  they  were  exceedingly  dan- 
gerous. '1  he  story  of  "At  the  Point  of  the  Bayonet"  begins  with 
the  attempt  to  conquer  this  powerful  people.  Harry  Lindsay,  an 
infant  when  his  father  and  mother  were  killed,  was  saved  by  his 
Mahratta  ayah,  who  carried  him  to  her  own  people  and  brought  him 
up  as  a  native-.  She  taught  him  as  best  she  could,  and,  having  told  him 
his  parentage,  sent  him  to  Bombay  to  be  educated.  At  sixteen  he  ob- 
tained a  commission  in  the  English  Army,  and  bis  knowledge  of  the 
Mahratta  tongue  combined  with  his  ability  and  bravery  enabled  him  to 
render  great  service  in  the  Mahratta  War,  and  carried  him,  through 
many  frightful  perils  by  land  and  sea,  to  high  rank. 


BOOKS   FOR    YOUNG    PEOPLE 


BY  G.  A.  HENTY 

"Mr.    Henty   mieht  with   entire   propriety   be   called  the  boys' Sir 
Walter  Scott." — Philadelphia  Press. 


IN   THE    IRISH    BRIGADE 

A  Tale  of  War  in  Flanders  and  Spain.    With  12  Illustrations  by 
Charles  M.  Sheldon.     12mo,  $1.50. 

Desmond  Kenuedy  is  a  young  Irish  lad  who  left  Ireland  to  join  the 
Irish  Brigade  in  the  service  of  Louis  XIV.  of  France.  In  Paris  he  in- 
curred the  deadly  hatred  of  a  powerful  courtier  from  whom  he  had 
rescued  a  young  girl  who  had  been  kidnapped,  and  his  perils  are  of  ab- 
sorbing interest.  Captured  in  an  attempted  Jacobite  invasion  of  Scot- 
land, he  escaped  in  a  most  extraordinary  manner.  As  aid-de-camp 
to  the  Duke  of  Berwick  he  experienced  thrilling  adventures  in  Flan- 
ders. Transferred  to  the  Army  in  Spain,  he  was  nearly  assassinated, but 
escaped  to  return,  when  peace  was  declared,  to  his  native  land,  having 
received  pardon  and  having  recovered  his  estates.  The  story  is  filled 
with  adventure,  and  the  interest  never  abates. 

OUT    WITH    GARIBALDI 

A   Story  of  the  Liberation  of  Italy.     By  G.  A.  Henty.     With 
8  Illustrations  by  W.  Rainey,  R.I.      12mo,  $1.50. 

Garibaldi  himself  is  the  central  figure  of  this  brilliant  6tory,  and  the 
little-known  history  of  the  struggle  for  Italian  freedom  is  told  here  in 
the  most  thrilling  way.  From  the  time  the  hero,  a  young  lad,  son  of 
an  English  father  and  an  Italian  mother,  joins  Garibaldi's  band  of 
1,000  men  in  the  first  descent  upon  Sicily,  which  was  garrisoned  by  one 
of  the  large  Neapolitan  armies,  until  the  end,  when  all  those  armies 
are  beaten,  and  the  two  Sicilys  are  conquered,  we  follow  with  the 
keenest  interest  the  exciting  adventures  of  the  lad  in  scouting,  in 
battle,  and  in  freeing  those  in  prison  for  liberty's  sake. 

WITH    BULLER   IN   NATAL 

Or,   A  Born  Leader.     By  G.  A.  Hehtt.     With  10  Illustrations 
by  W.  Rainey.     12mo,  $1.50. 

The  breaking  out  of  the  Boer  War  compelled  Chris  King,  the  hero 
of  the  story,  to  flee  with  his  mother  from  Johannesburg  to  the  sea 
coast.  They  were  with  many  other  Uitlanders,  and  all  suffered  much 
from  the  Boers.  Reaching  a  place  of  safety  for  their  families,  Chris 
and  twenty  of  his  friends  formed  an  independent  company  of  scouts.  In 
this  service  they  were  with  Gen.  Yule  at  Glencoe,  then  in  Ladysmith, 
then  with  Buller.  In  each  place  they  had  many  thrilling  adventures. 
They  were  in  great  battles  and  in  lonely  fights  on  the  Veldt ;  were 
taken  prisoners  and  escaped;  and  they  rendered  most  valuable  service 
to  the  English  forces.  The  story  is  a  most  interesting  picture  of  the 
War  in  South  Africa. 


BOOKS   FOR    YOUNG    PEOPLE 


BY  G.  A.   HENTY 

"Surely  Mr.  Henty  should  understand  boys'  tastes  better  than  any 
man  living.'' — The  Times. 


WON    BY    THE   SWORD 

A  Tale  of  the  Thirty  Years'  War.     With  12  Illustrations   by 
Charles  M.  Sheldon,  and  four  Plans.     12mo,  $1.50. 

The  scene  of  this  story  is  laid  in  France,  during  the  time  of  Richelieu, 
of  Mazarin  and  Anne  of  Austria.  The  hero,  Hector  Campbell,  is  the 
orphaned  son  of  a  Scotch  officer  in  the  French  Army.  How  he  at- 
tracted the  notice  of  Marshal  Turenne  and  of  the  Prince  of  Conde  ; 
how  he  rose  to  the  rank  of  Colonel ;  how  he  finally  had  to  leave  France, 
pursued  by  the  deadly  hatred  of  the  Due  de  Beaufort — all  these  and 
much  more  the  story  tells  with  the  most  absorbing  interest. 

A   ROVING   COMMISSION 

Or,  Through  the  Black  Insurrection  at  Hayti.     With  12  Illus- 
trations by  William  Rainey.     12mo,  $1.50. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  brilliant  of  Mr.  Henty's  books.  A  story  of 
the  sea,  with  all  its  life  and  action,  it  is  also  full  of  thrilling  adven- 
tures on  land.  So  it  holds  the  keenest  interest  until  the  end.  The 
scene  is  a  new  one  io  Mr.  Henty's  readers,  being  laid  at  the  time  of  the 
Great  Revolt  of  the  Blacks,  by  which  Hayti  became  independent. 
Toussaint  l'Overture  appears,  and  an  admirable  picture  is  given  of  him 
and  of  his  power. 

NO   SURRENDER 

The    Story  of  the  Revolt  in  La  Vendee.     With  8  Illustrations 
by  Stanley;  L.  Wood.     12mo,  $1.50. 

The  revolt  of  La  Vendue  against  the  French  Republic  at  the  time  of 
the  Revolution  forms  the  groundwork  of  this  absorbing  story.  Leigh 
Stausneld,  a  young  English  lad,  is  drawn  into  the  thickest  of  the  con- 
flict. Forming  a  company  of  boys  as  scouts  for  the  Vendean  Army, 
he  greatly  aids  the  peasants.  He  rescues  hi6  sister  from  the  guillotine, 
and  finally,  after  many  thrilling  experiences,  when  the  cause  of  La 
Vendee  is  lost,  he  escapes  to  England. 

UNDER  WELLINGTON'S  COMMAND 

A  Tale  of  the  Peninsular  War.     With  12  Illustrations  by  Wal 
Paget.    12mo,  $1.50. 

The  dashing  hero  of  this  book,  Terence  O'Connor,  was  the  hero  of 
Mr.  Henty'6  previous  book,  "  With  Moore  at  Corunna,"  to  which  this 
is  really  a  sequel.  He  iH  still  at  the  head  of  the  '  Minho  "  Portuguese 
regiment.  Beinjr  detached  on  independent  and  guerilla  duty  with  his 
regiment,  he  renders  invaluable  service  in  gaining  information  and  in 
harassing  the  French.  His  command,  being  constantly  on  the  edge  of 
the  army,  is  engaged  in  frequent  skirmishes  and  some  mo6t  important 
battles. 


BOOKS   FOR    TO  UNO    PEOPLE 


BY  G.  A.  HENTY 

"  Mr.  Henty  is  the  king  of  story-tellers  for  boys." — Swjrdand  Trowel. 


AT  ABOUKIR  AND  ACRE 

A  Story  of  Napoleon's  Invasion  of  Egypt.     "With  8  full-pag,e 
Illustrations  by  William  Rainey,  and   3  Plans.     12mo, 

$1.50. 

The  hero-,  having  saved  the  life  of  the  son  of  an  Arab  chief,  is  taken 
into  the  tribe,  has  a  part  in  the  battle  of  the  Pyramids  and  the  revolt 
at  Cairo.  He  is  an  eye-witness  of  the  famous  naval  battle  of  Aboukir, 
and  later  is  in  the  hardest  of  the  defense  of  Acre. 

BOTH  SIDES  THE  BORDER 

A  Tale  of  Hotspur  and  Glendower.     With  12  full-page  Illus- 
trations by  Ralph  Peacock.     12mo,  $1.50. 

This  is  a  brilliant  story  of  the  stirring  times  of  the  beginning  of  the 
Wars  of  the  Roses,  when  the  Scotch,  under  Douglas,  and  the  Welsh, 
under  Owen  Glendower,  were  attacking  the  English.  The  hero  of  the 
book  lived  near  the  Scotch  border,  and  saw  many  a  hard  fight  there. 
Entering  the  service  of  Lord  Percy,  he  was  sent  to  Wales,  where  he 
was  knighted,  and  where  he  wag  captured.  Being  released,  he  returned 
home,  and  shared  in  the  fatal  battle  of  Shrewsbury. 


WITH  FREDERICK  THE  GREAT 

A  Tale  of  the  Seve:i  Years'  War.     With  12  full-page  Illustra- 
tions.    12mo,  $1.50. 

The  hero  of  this  story  while  still  a  youth  entered  the  service  of 
Frederick  the  Great,  and  by  a  succession  of  fortunate  circumstances 
and  perilous  adventures,  rose  to  the  rank  of  colonel.  Attached  to  the 
staff  of  the  king,  he  rendered  distinguished  services  in  many  battles,  in 
one  of  which  he  saved  the  king's  life.  Twice  captured  and  imprisoned, 
he  both  times  escaped  from  the  Austrian  fortresses. 

A  MARCH  ON  LONDON 

A  Story  of  Wat  Tyler's  Rising.     With  8   full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  W.  H.  Margetson.     12mo,  $1.50. 

The  story  of  Wat  Tyler's  Rebellion  is  but  little  known,  but  the  hero 
of  this  story  passes  through  that  perilous  time  and  takes  part  in  the 
civil  war  in  Flanders  which  followed  soon  after.  Although  young  he 
is  thrown  into  many  exciting  and  dangerous  adventures,  through  which 
he  passes  with  great  coolness  and  much  credit. 


BOOKS    FOR    YOUNG    PEOPLE 


BY  G.  A.  HENTY 

"No  country  nor  epoch  of  history  is  there  which  Mr.  FTentydoes  not 
know,  and  what  is  really  remarkable  is  that  he  always  writes  well  and 
interest  in  si  v." — New  York  Times. 


WITH  MOORE  AT  CORUNNA 

A  Story  of  the  Peninsular  War.  With  12  full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  Wal  Paget.     12rno,  $1.50. 

Terence  O'Connor  is  living  with  his  widowed  father,  Captain  O'Con- 
nor of  the  Mayo  Fusiliers,  with  the  regiment  at  the  time  when  the 
Peninsular  war  began.  Upon  the  regiment  being  ordered  to  Spain, 
Terence  gets  appointed  as  aid  to  one  of  the  generals  of  a  division.  By 
his  bravery  and  great  usefulness  throughout  the  war,  he  is  rewarded 
by  a  commission  as  colonel  in  the  Portuguese  army  and  there  rendered 
ureat  service. 

AT  AGINCOURT 

A  Tale  of  the  White  Hoods  of  Paris.  With  12  full-page 
Illustrations  by  Walter  Paget.  Crown  8vo,  olivine 
edges,  $1.50. 

The  story  begins  in  a  grim  feudal  castle  in  Normandie.  The  times 
were  troublous,  and  soon  the  king  compelled  Lady  Margaret  de  Villeroy 
with  her  children  to  go  to  Paris  as  hostages.  Guy  Aylmer  went  with 
her.  Paris  was  turbulent.  Soon  the  guild  of  the  butchers,  adopting 
white  hoods  as  their  uniform,  seized  the  city,  and  besieged  the  house 
where  our  hero  and  his  charges  lived.  After  desperate  fighting,  the 
white  hoods  were  beaten  and  our  hero  and  his  charges  escaped  from 
the  city,  and  from  France. 

WITH  COCHRANE  THE  DAUNTLESS 

A  Tale  of  the  Exploits  of  Lord  Cochrane  in  South  American 
Waters.  With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  H. 
Margetson".     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  of  this  story  accompanies  Cochrane  as  midshipman,  and 
serves  in  the  war  between  Chili  and  Peru.  He  has  many  exciting 
adventures  in  battles  by  sea  and  land,  is  taken  prisoner  and  condemned 
to  death  by  the  Inquisition,  but  escapes  by  a  long  and  thrilling  flight 
across  South  America  and  down  the  Amazon. 

ON  THE  IRRAWADDY 

A  Story  of  the  First  Burmese  War.  With  8  full  page  Illus- 
trations by  W.  II.  Overend.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges, 
11.50. 

The  hero,  having  an  uncle,  a  trader  on  the  Indian  and  Burmese 
rivers,  goes  out  to  join  him.  Soon  after,  war  is  declared  by  Burmah 
against  England  and  he  is  drawn  into  it.  lie  has  many  experiences 
and  narrow  escapes  in  battles  and  in  scouting.  With  half-a-dozen 
men  ha  rescues  his  cousin  who  had  been  taken  prisoner,  and  in  the 
flight  they  are  besieged  in  an  old,  ruined  temple. 


BOOKS   FOR    YOUNG    PEOPLE 


BY  G.  A.  HENTY 

"Boys  like  stirring  adventures,  and  Mr.  Henty  is  a  master  of  this 
method  of  composition."— New  York  Times. 


THROUGH   RUSSIAN   SNOWS 

A  Story  of  Napoleon's  Retreat  from  Moscow.  "With  8  full- 
page  Illustrations  by  W.  H.  Overend  and  3  Maps.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero,  Julian  Wyatt,  after  several  adventures  with  smugglers,  by 
whom  he  is  handed  over  a  prisoner  to  the  French,  regains  his  freedom 
and  joins  Napoleon's  army  in  the  Russian  campaign.  When  the  terrible 
retreat  begins,  Julian  finds  himself  in  the  rearguard  of  the  French  army, 
fighting  desperately.  Ultimately  he  escapes  out  of  the  general  disaster, 
and  returns  to  England. 

A   KNIGHT   OF    THE   WHITE   CROSS 

A  Tale  of  the  Siege  of  Rhodes.  With  12  full  page  Illustra- 
tions by  Ralph  Peacock,  and  a  Plan.  Crown  8vo,  olivine 
edges,  $1.50. 

Gervaise  Tresham,  the  hero  of  this  story,  joins  the  Order  of  the 
Knights  of  St.  John,  and  proceeds  to  the  stronghold  of  Rhodes.  Sub- 
sequently he  is  appointed  commander  of  a  war-galley,  and  in  his  first 
voyage  destroys  a  fleet  of  Moorish  corsairs.  During  one  of  his  cruises 
the  young  knight  is  attacked  on  shore,  captured  after  a  desperate 
struggle,  and  sold  into  slavery  in  Tripoli.  He  succeeds  in  escaping,  and 
returns  to  Rhodes  in  time  to  take  part  in  the  defense  of  that  fortress. 

THE   TIGER   OF   MYSORE 

A  Story  of  the  War  with  Tippoo  Saib.  With  12  full-page 
Illustrations  by  W.  H.  Makgetson,  and  a  Map.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Dick  Holland,  whose  father  is  supposed  to  be  a  captive  of  Tippoo 
Saib,  goes  to  India  to  help  him  to  escape.  He  joins  the  army  under 
Lord  Cornwallis,  and  takes  part  in  the  campaign  againt  tippoo. 
Afterwards  he  assumes  a  disguise,  enters  Seringapatam,  and  at  last 
he  discovers  his  father  in  the  great  stronghold  of  Savandroog.  The 
hazardous  rescue  is  at  length  accomplished,  and  the  young  fellow's 
dangerous  mission  is  done. 

IN  THE  HEART  OF  THE  ROCKIES 

A  Story  of  Adventure  in  Colorado.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With 
8  full-page  Illustrations  by  G.  C.  Hindley.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero,  Tom  Wade,  goes  to  seek  his  uncle  in  Colorado,  who  is  a 
hunter  and  gold-digger,  and  he  is  discovered,  after  many  dangers,  out 
on  the  Plains  with  some  comrades.  Going  in  quest  of  a  gold  mine,  the 
little  band  is  spied  by  Indians,  chased  across  the  Bad  Lands,  and 
overwhelmed  by  a  snowstorm  in  the  mountains. 


BOOKS   FOR    YOUNG   PEOPLE 


BY  G.  A.   HENTY 

"  Mr.  Henty  is  one  of  the  best  story-tellers  for  young  people." 

— Spectator. 


WHEN    LONDON    BURNED 

A  Story  of  the  Plague  and  the  Fire.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With 
12  full-page  Illustrations  by  J.  Fxnnejiore.  Crown  Svo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  of  this  story  was  the  son  of  a  nobleman  who  had  lost  his 
estates  during  the  troublous  times  of  the  Commonwealth.  During  the 
Great  Plague  and  the  Grea';  H  ire,  Cyril  was  prominent  among  those 
who  brought  help  to  the  panic -stricken  inhabitants. 

WULF  THE  SAXON 

A  Story  of  the  Norman  Conquest.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With 
12  full-page  Illustrations  by  Ralph  Peacock.  Crown 
Svo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  is  a  young  thane  who  wins  the  favor  of  Earl  Harold  and 
becomes  one  of  his  retinue.  When  Harold  becomes  King  of  England 
W'ulf  assists  in  the  Welsh  wars,  and  takes  part  against  the  Norsemen 
at  the  Battle  of  Stamford  Bridge.  When  William  of  Normandy  in- 
vades England,  Wulf  is  with  the  English  host  at  Hastings,  and  stands 
by  his  king  to  the  last  in  the  mighty  struggle. 

ST.  BARTHOLOMEW'S  EVE 

A  Tale  of  the  Huguenot  Wars.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  12 
full-page  Illustrations  by  H.  J.  Draper,  and  a  Map. 
Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero,  Philip  Fletcher,  has  a  French  connection  on  his  mother's 
side.  This  induces  him  to  cross  the  Channel  in  order  to  take  a  share 
in  the  Huguenot  wars.  Naturally  he  sides  with  the  Protestants,  dis- 
tinguishes himself  in  various  battles,  and  receives  rapid  promotion  for 
the  zeal  and  daring  with  which  he  carries  out  several  secret  missions. 

THROUGH  THE  SIKH  WAR 

A  Tale  of  the  Conquest  of  the  Punjaub.  By  G.  A.  Henty. 
With  12  full-ptgc  Illustrations  by  Hal  Hurst,  and  a 
.Map.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Percy  Groves,  a  spirited  English  lad,  joins  his  uncle  in  the  Punjaub, 
where  the  natives  are  in  a  state  of  revolt.  Percy  joins  the  British 
force  as  a  volunteer,  and  takes  a  distinguished  share  in  the  famous 
battles  of  the  Punjaub. 


BOOKS   FOB    YOUNG    BEOBLE 


BY  G.  A.  HENTY 

"  The  brightest  of  the  living  writers  whose  office  it  is  to  enchant  the 
boys. — Christian  Leader. 


A  JACOBITE  EXILE 

Being  the  Adventures  of  a  Young  Englishman  in  the  Service 
of  Charles  XII.  of  Sweden.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  8 
full-page  Illustrations  by  Paul  Hardy,  and  a  Map.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Sir  Marmaduke  Carstairs,  a  Jacobite,  is  the  victim  of  a  conspiracy,  and 
he  is  denounced  as  a  plotter  against  the  life  of  King  William.  He  flies 
to  Sweden,  accompanied  by  his  son  Charlie.  This  youth  joins  the 
foreign  legion  under  Charles  XII.,  and  takes  a,distinguished  part  in 
several  famous  campaigns  against  the  Russians  and  Poles. 

CONDEMNED  AS  A  NIHILIST 

A  Story  of  Escape  from  Siberia.     By  G.  A.  Henty.     With  8 

full-page  Illustrations.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  of  this  story  is  an  English  boy  resident  in  St.  Petersburg. 
Through  two  student  friends  he  becomes  innocently  involved  in 
various  political  plots,  resulting  in  his  seizure  by  the  Russian  police 
and  his  exile  to  Siberia.  He  ultimately  escapes,  and,  after  many  ex- 
citing adventures,  he  reaches  Norway,  and  thence  home,  after  a 
perilous  journey  which  lasts  nearly  two  years. 

BERIC  THE  BRITON 

A  Story  of  the  Roman  Invasion.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With 
12  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  Parkinson.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

This  story  deals  with  the  invasion  of  Britain  by  the  Roman  legionaries. 
Beric,  who  is  a  boy-chief  of  a  British  tribe,  takes  a  prominent  part  in 
the  insurrection  under  Boadicea ;  and  after  the  defeat  of  that  heroic 
queen  (in  A.  D.  63)  he  continues  the  struggle  in  the  fen-country. 
Ultimately  Beric  is  defeated  and  carried  captive  to  Rome,  where  he  is 
trained  in  the  exercise  of  arms  in  a  school  of  gladiators.  At  length  he 
returus  to  Britain,  where  he  becomes  ruler  of  his  own  people. 

IN  GREEK  WATERS 

A  Story  of  the  Grecian  War  of  Independence (1821-1827).     By 

G.  A.  Henty.     With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  S. 

Stacey,  and  a  Map.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Deals  with  the  revolt  of  the  Greeks  in  1821  against  Turkish  oppres- 
sion. Mr.  Beveridge  and  his  son  Horace  fit  out  a  privateer,  load  it 
with  military  stores,  and  set  sail  for  Greece.  They  rescue  the  Chris- 
tians, relieve  the  captive  Greeks,  and  fight  the  Turkish  war  vessels. 


BOOKS   FOE    YOUNG    PEOPLE 


BY  G.  A.  HENTY 

"  No  living  writer  of  books  for  boys  writes  to  better  purpose  than 
Mr.  G.  A.  Henty." — Philadelphia  Press. 


THE  DASH  FOR  KHARTOUM 

A  Tale  of  the  Nile  Expedition.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  10 
full-page  Illustrations  by  John  Schonberg  and  J.  Nash. 
Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

In  the  record  of  recent  British  history  there  is  no  more  captivating 
page  for  boys  than  the  story  of  the  Nile  campaign,  and  the  attempt  to 
rescue  General  Gordon.  For,  in  the  difficulties  which  the  expedition 
encountered,  in  the  perils  which  it  overpassed,  and  in  its  final  tragic 
disappointments,  are  found  all  the  excitements  of  romance,  as  well  as 
the  fascination  which  belongs  to  real  events. 

REDSKIN  AND  COW-BOY 

A  Tale  of  the  Western  Plains.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  12 
full-page  Illustrations  by  Alfred  Pearse.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  central  interest  of  this  story  is  found  in  the  many  adventures  of 
an  English  lad,  who  seeks  employment  as  a  cow-boy  on  a  cattle  ranch. 
His  experiences  during  a  "  round-up  "  present  in  picturesque  form  the 
toilsome,  exciting,  adventurous  life  of  a  cow-boy  ;  while  the  perils  of  a 
frontier  settlement  are  vividly  set  forth  in  an  Indian  raid. 


HELD  FAST  FOR  ENGLAND 

A  Tale  of  the  Siege  of  Gibraltar.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With 
8  full-page  Illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

This  story  deals  with  one  of  the  most  memorable  sieges  in  history — 
the  siege  of  Gibraltar  in  1779-S3  by  the  united  forces  of  France  and 
Spain.  With  land  forces,  fleets,  and  floating  batteries,  the  combined 
resources  of  two  great  nations,  this  grim  fortress  was  vainly  besieged 
and  bombarded.  The  hero  of  the  tale,  an  English  lad  resident  in 
Gibraltar,  takes  a  brave  and  worthy  part  in  the  long  defence,  and  it  is 
through  hi6  varied  experiences  that  we  learn  with  what  bravery,  re- 
source, and  tenacity  the  Rock  was  held  for  England. 


Note. — For  a  list  of  Henty  Books  at  popular  prices,  see  the 
following  page. 


BOOKS  FOR    TOVXO   rEOTLh 


BY    G.    A.    HENTY 

The  following   copyrighted  Henty  "Boo%s 
are  also  issued  in    acheap  edition 

$■  *  & 

A  MARCH  ON  LONDON 

WITH  MOORE  AT  CORUNNA 

AT  AGINCOURT 

COCHRANE  THE  DAUNTLESS 

ON  THE  IRRAWADDY 

THROUGH  RUSSIAN  SNOWS 

A  KNIGHT  OF  THE  WHITE  CROSS 

THE  TIGER  OF  MYSORE 

IN  THE  HEART  OF  THE  ROCKIES 

WHEN  LONDON  BURNED 

WULF  THE  SAXON 

ST.   BARTHOLOMEW'S  EVE 

THROUGH  THE  SIKH  WAR 

A  JACOBITE  EXILE 

CONDEMNED  AS  A     NIHILIST 

BERIC  THE  BRITON 

IN  GREEK  WATERS 

THE  DASH  FOR  KHARTOUM 

REDSKIN  AND  COW-BOY 

HELD  FAST  FOR  ENGLAND 

&    #   * 

These  booics  are  fully  described  in  the 
pages  preceding  this. 


•IS 


A  List   of  Books 
*      for  Young  People 

.  .  .  BY  .  .  . 

KIRK     MUNROE 


A    SON    OF    SATSUMA 
Or,  With  Perry  in  Japan 

BY  KIRK  MUNROE 

With  twelve  Illustrations  by  Harry  C.  Edwards.    $1.00  net. 

THIS  absorbing  story  for  boys  deals  with  one  of  the  most  in- 
teresting episodes  in  our  National  history.  From  the 
beginning  Japan  has  been  a  land  of  mystery.  Foreigners  were 
permitted  to  land  only  at  certain  points  on  her  shores  and  nothing 
whatever  was  known  of  her  civilization  and  history,  her  romance 
and  magnificence,  her  wealth  and  art.  It  was  Commodore  Perry 
who  opened  her  gates  to  the  world,  thus  solving  the  mystery  of 
the  ages,  and,  in  this  thrilling  story  of  an  American  boy  in 
Japan  at  that  period,  the  spirit  as  well  as  the  history  of  this  great 
achievement  is  ably  set  forth. 

MIDSHIPMAN  STUART 

Or,  the  Last  Cruise  of  the  Essex.  A  Tale  of  the  War  of  1812. 
Illustrated.     12mo,  $1.25. 

This  is  an  absorbing  story  of  life  in  the  American  Navy  during 
the  stirring  times  of  our  war  of  1812.  The  very  spirit  of  the 
period  is  in  its  pa^cs.  and  m  my  of  the  adventures  of  the  Essex 
arc  studied  from  history.  " 

IN  PIRATE  WATERS 

A  Tale  of  the  American  Navy.     Illustrated    by    I.  W.  Taber. 
12mo,  $1.25. 

The  hero  of  the  story  becomes  :i  midshipman  in  the  navy  just  at  the 
time  of  the  war  with  Tripoli.  His  own  wild  adventures  among  the 
Turk-  and  hie  love  romance  are  thoroughly  interwoven  with  the  stir- 
ring history  of  that.  time. 


BOOKS   FOR     YOUNG    PEOPLE 


BY  KIRK   MUNROE 
THE  "WHITE   CONQUERORS"   SERIES 

WITH    CROCKETT   AND    BOWIE 

Or,  Fighting  for  the  Lone  Star  Flag.  A  Tale  of  Texas.  With 
8  full-page  Illustrations  by  Victor  Perard.     Crown   8vo, 

$1.25. 

The  story  is  of  the  Texas  revolution  in  1835,  when  American  Texans 
under  Sam  Houston,  Bowie,  Crockett  and  Travis,  fought  for  relief 
from  the  intolerable  tyranny  of  the  Mexican  Santa  Ana.  The  hero, 
Rex  Hardin,  son  of  a  Texan  ranchman  and  graduate  of  an  American 
military  school,  takes  a  prominent  part  in  the  heroic  defense  of  the 
Alamo,  and  the  final  triumph  at  San  Jacinto. 

THROUGH    SWAMP    AND   GLADE 

A  Tale  of  the  Seminole  War.  By  Kirk  Munroe.  With  8  full- 
page  Illustrations  by  V.  Perard.     Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

Coacoochee,  the  hero  of  the  story,  is  the  son  of  Philip  the  chieftain 
of  the  Seminoles.  He  grows  up  to  lead  his  tribe  in  the  long  struggle 
which  resulted  in  the  Indians  being  driven  from  the  north  of  Florida 
down  to  the  distant  southern  wilderness. 

AT   WAR   WITH   PONTIAC 

Or,  the  Totem  of  the  Bear.  A  Tale  of  Redcoat  and  Redskin. 
By  Kirk  Munroe.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  J. 
Finnemore.     Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

A  story  when  the  shores  of  Lake  Erie  were  held  by  hostile  Indians. 
The  hero,  Donald  Hester,  goes  in  search  of  his  sister  Edith,  who  has 
been  captured  by  the  Indians.  Strange  and  terrible  are  his  experi- 
ences ;  for  he  is  wounded,  taken  prisoner,  condemned  to  be  burned,  but 
contrives  to  escape.     In  the  end  all  things  terminate  happily. 

THE   WHITE   CONQUERORS 

A  Tale  of  Toltec  and  Aztec.  By  Kirk  Munroe.  With  8  full- 
page  Illustrations.     Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

This  story  deals  with  the  Conquest  of  Mexico  by  Cortez  and  his 
Spaniards,  the  "  White  Conquerors,"  who,  after  mamy  deeds  of  valor, 
pushed  their  way  into  the  great  Aztec  kingdom  and  established  their 
power  in  the  wondrous  city  where  Montezuma  reigned  in  splendor. 

CHARLES  SCRIBNE,R'S  SONS 
153=7  Fifth  Avenue  New  York 


A  LIST  OF  NE,W  BOOKS 

FOK. 

YOUNG    PE,OPLE 


FALL    OF    1902 

CHARLES    SCRIBNEFJS    SONS 
NEW    YORK 

i^      ^      s^ 

THE    BOOK    OF   JOYOUS    CHILDREN 

BY   JAMES   WHITCOMB   RILEY 

Profusely  Illustrated. 

The  sweetness,  the  grace,  the  laughter  and  the  tenderness  of  Mr. 
Riley's  best  verse  are  found  to  the  full  in  this  book  of  delightful  poems 
for  and  about  children.  The  illustrations  have  been  made  under  the 
author's  supervision,  and  portray  the  scenes  and  the  little  heroes  and 
heroines  of  the  poems  with  artistic  fidelity. 

IN  THE  WASP'S  NEST 

The  Story  of  a  Sea  Waif.    By  Cyrus  Townsend  Brady.    Illus- 
trated.    $1.50  net.     (Postage,  16  cents.) 

A  vigorous  story  of  the  War  of  1812.  The  hero,  a  midshipman, 
serves  gallantly  aboard  two  famous  American  ships,  each  bearing  the 
name  of  Wasp,  having  many  adventures  of  6torm,  battle  and  capture. 
The  hero  was  picked  up  in  an  open  boat  when  a  baby  by  the  crew  of  the 
U.  S.  S.  Boston  and  adopted  by  the  Captain.  The  story  has  the  real 
spirit  of  the  American  Navy. 

A  CAPTURED  SANTA  CLAUS 

BY  THOMAS  NELSON  PAGE 

Illustrated  in  Colors. 

This  exquisite  story  of  childhood  is  one  of  the  most  delicate  that 
even  Mr.  Page  has  written.  It  is  an  episode  of  the  Civil  War  in  which 
children  are  the  little  heroes.  The  period  is  the  Christmas  time,  and 
the  set  in-  ie  between  the  line,  of  the  Union  and  Confederate  Armies. 


BOOKS   FOR    YOUNG    PEOPLE 


JEB  HUTTON,  A  GEORGIA  BOY 

By  James  B.  Connolly.     Illustrated.     $1.20  net.      (Postage, 
13  cents.) 

A  thoroughly  interesting  and  breezy  tale  of  boy-life  along  the 
Savannah  River  by  a  writer  who  knows  boys,  and  who  has  succeeded 
in  making  of  the  adventures  of  Jeb  and  his  friends  a  story  that  will 
keep  his  young  readers  absorbed  to  the  last  page. 


KING  MOMBO 

By  Paul  Du  Chaillu.  Author  of  "  The  "World  of  the  Great 
Forest,"  etc.  With  24  illustrations.  $1.50  net.  (Postage, 
16  cents.) 

The  scene  is  the  great  African  forest.  It  is  a  book  of  interesting 
experiences  with  native  tribes,  and  thrilling  and  perilous  adventures  in 
hunting  elephants,  crocodiles,  gorillas  and  other  fierce  creatures 
among  which  this  famous  explorer  lived  so  long. 

A  NEW  BOOK  FOR  GIRLS 

By  Lina  Beard  and  Adelia  B.  Beard.  Authors  of  "The 
American   Girl's   Handy    Book."     Profusely   Illustrated. 

An  admirable  collection  of  entirely  new  and  original  indoor  and  out- 
door pastimes  for  American  girls,  each  fully  and  interestingly  de- 
scribed and  explained,  and  all  designed  to  stimulate  the  taste  and 
ingenuity  at  the  same  time  that  they  entertain. 

SEA   FIGHTERS    FROM   DRAKE   TO 
FARRAGUT 

By  Jessie  Peabody  Frothingham.  Illustrations  by  Reuter- 
dahl.     $1.20  net.     (Postage,  14  cents.) 

Drake,  Tromp,  De  Reuter,  Tourville,  Suffren,  Paul  Jones,  Nelson 
and  Farragut  are  the  naval  heroes  here  pictured,  and  each  is  show  ■'  in 
some  great  episode  which  illustrates  his  personality  and  heroism.  he 
book  is  full  of  the  very  spirit  of  daring  and  adventurous  achievement. 

BOB  AND  HIS  GUN 

By  William  Alexander  Linn.     With  8   Illustrations. 

The  adventures  of  a  boy  with  a  gun  under  the  instruction  of  his 
cousin,  an  accomplished  sportsman.  The  book:s  aim  is  to  interest 
boys  in  hunting  in  the  spirit  of  true  sport  and  to  instruct  in  the  ways 
of  game  birds  and  animals. 


